The lordship of Jesus and the truth of the Bible often show themselves in unexpected places.
One recent example came on the influential podcast The Diary of a CEO with host Steven Bartlett. Bartlett is an entrepreneur, interviewer, and thoughtful observer of people. I don’t think he is a believer in Jesus, although he seems open. During his interview with Dr. John Lennox on artificial intelligence, Lennox had the opportunity to speak openly about his Christian faith. At the end of the conversation, Bartlett made a striking observation:
“One of the most compelling arguments for God that you’ve presented… is not actually necessarily anything you’ve written in your books or anything you’ve said.
It is actually you.
You have a certain peace and contentment that I rarely see in people that I interview… that I almost always see in the Christians that I’ve interviewed.” (Watch the clip.)
Bartlett was observing something in Lennox that he had also seen in other Christians: a visible peace and contentment. When Christians know the Prince of Peace and are filled with the Spirit who produces peace (Galatians 5:22–23), it should be no surprise if people in our anxious world take notice.
This encounter reminded me of the words of Jesus to His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27).
That does not mean Christians are never anxious, troubled, fearful, or weak. We often are; I often am. But it does mean that Christ gives His people a peace the world cannot manufacture, a peace rooted in reconciliation with God, sustained by the Spirit, and displayed through ordinary believers.
As I reflected on Bartlett’s observation, a few prayers came to mind. I invite you to pray them with me:
- Praise God for the peace He gives, a peace that surpasses all human understanding (Philippians 4:6–7).
- Praise God for the life and witness of men like John Lennox and Wes Huff, another Christian apologist who appeared on the show.
- Lord, help me be a person of peace. I can often display anxiety, anger, and fear instead of the peace You want to give me by Your Spirit.
- Lord, help Steven Bartlett bow the knee to Jesus in faith and repentance, that he may experience Your peace himself.