“So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
- Acts 10:33

We love the sweet, simple openness Cornelius showed in today’s passage. The setting swirls with nuance and complexity: military vs. civilian, Roman vs. Jew, outsider vs. insider … but Cornelius cuts through it all with a gentle “it was good of you to come.”

This is the last line we hear Cornelius speak in this entire drama. And there’s something appropriate about that. This person of peace has done his work. He’s been obedient to God to send for Peter. He’s gone even beyond God’s direction and called together his family and friends. He’s humbled himself and prepared both himself and his community to listen to Peter. Now he listens.

Peter has a word from the Lord for Cornelius that no one else in Cornelius’ circle of relationships could speak to him. Peter’s word to Cornelius and his community was a distinctly Jewish word about the Messiah of Israel who is now Lord of all people (see Acts 10:36). Peter would at times share hard truths with uncomfortable words. But Cornelius and the people who followed his lead were prepared to listen.

How ready are you to listen to those who come from outside your circle of relationships?

Here are three riddle-questions that can help you tell if you’re ready to listen (and help you get ready to listen if you’re not yet):

• Do I regularly interact with people who are outside my circle of relationships?
• What do they know that I don’t know?
• What will it cost them to share with me?