Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer, God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from – if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The message he sent to the children of Israel – that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again – well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone. Acts 10:34-36 (The Message)

Before there were circuit riders spreading the Gospel message to all the corners of the United States, the apostles did the same thing with the new churches formed after Jesus ascended into heaven. Peter decided to visit with all the churches to see how they were doing and to show them how important they were in God’s plan for the world. While he was visiting Joppa, a soldier in Caesarea was visited by an angel who told him to invite Peter over for a visit. There’s something about angels! When they ask for something to be done, it gets done; so Cornelius, the soldier, sent a couple of guys over to Joppa to see Peter.

While they were on their way, Peter started having an odd vision. He went out on his balcony to wait for lunch, and he saw a big blanket come down from the sky with every kind of animal on it. A voice told him to eat the food on the blanket, but the animals on the blanket weren’t allowed by Jewish law; so Peter refused. The voice came a second time – this time telling Peter that, if God says it’s ok, it’s ok! Three times this food was offered to Peter and after the third time, the blanket went back up into the sky.

About that time, the guys came from Cornelius to see Peter and this time, the voice told Peter that it was ok. “Don’t ask any questions. I sent them to get you.” So Peter goes to Caesarea to see Cornelius who tells him that the whole household wants to hear what Jesus has to say to them. This is when this scripture appears.

Sometimes we hear something that changes our lives and we long to tell someone else all about it — but we’re afraid to tell the wrong people. They might laugh at us and diminish something that has great meaning for us. According to Jewish law, Peter wasn’t even supposed to go to the house of Cornelius because the laws weren’t followed there. Peter went anyway and Christianity has never been the same since.

I believe that there is one door to God and that door is Jesus. But I also believe that there are as many paths to that door as there are people in this world. John 3:17 says it very well: “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” There’s hope for us all!

Becky Gillette is a former teacher, newspaper reporter, and preacher who seeks to take an original approach to life’s lessons. She has recently published her first book, Jessie’s Corner: Something To Think About, which is now available for purchase. Based on several lesser-known scriptures from the Bible, this is a collection of articles which she wrote for a weekly newspaper.