Peter Putnam is “on the rise” was the headline on a popular bodybuilding magazine cover back in Peter’s prime. In my interview with Peter, former IFBB professional bodybuilder turned evangelist, Peter reflects back to the heyday of his bodybuilding days. Peter asked rhetorically, “on the rise” to what? Peter recognized during his lucrative bodybuilding career that he was two faced – his public image as a professional bodybuilder was a façade.
Peter was only in the sport of bodybuilding to prove something. His identity was completely wrapped up in who he was as a bodybuilder. Peter was driven by achievement and was always striving for the next big goal in bodybuilding.
God allowed a good thing, to become the main thing, which is now a bad thing.
I know I can certainly relate to that. How much of our public life are we trying to measure up? To prove that we have what it takes and that we can measure up to the world’s standards. We think the more we can accomplish the more fulfilled we will be. How is that working for you?
Our self-worth and value can get wrapped up in what we do or what people say about us. We often times are searching for validation outside of ourselves. We want to be loved and admired for our achievements.
Peter realized that the path he was going down in professional bodybuilding was actually leading to his destruction. As Peter puts it, “he allowed a good thing, to become the main thing, which is now a bad thing.” Bodybuilding became an idol for him.
There was a point in Peter’s bodybuilding career that he realized he didn’t want to continue on the path he was on. Peter came to a place of brokenness where he decided to allow whatever needed to be done to get healed. In his brokenness, Peter made a commitment that he would allow God to go in and deal with all the junk that he had been unaware of or not wanting to deal with. Change takes a great deal of courage, but as Peter puts it, “What God reveals he heals.”
TRUSTWORTHY WISDOM
In our public life we so often live a compromised life because we aren’t seeking validation from God [in the intimate ways we’re designed to connect with our father]. Peter’s message has become that people have to know their worth and their value and that ultimately comes from the love of God. The Bible says we are created to do the good works that God has planned for each of us. We are His works of art and we need to start to see ourselves that way.
We are free from the lie of having to prove anything to anyone. How amazing is that? We are accepted and loved unconditionally by Jesus Christ. We are blessed because Jesus died on the cross so we can live in grace rather than enslaved to sin. The cross represents our value.
SEE YOURSELF AT FACE VALUE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
In Peter’s transition from public bodybuilder to evangelist, Peter said he needed to do some work in his private life. This private time with God as his Lord is instrumental in whom Peter is becoming in Christ.
Peter stated, “I truly believe that we are positioned to win by being positioned in His presence. There are periods of time when we need to be hid away with the Lord.” This time of renewing our mind allows us to then go back into public and truly be the light.
In Peter’s quiet time he gets so much revelation from God by spending time in the Bible. He explains, “You are going to be a different person when you receive inflow so there can be outflow. Your private life is a true measure of who you are.”
The Bible gives us trustworthy encouragement to be a shining light for God so they can see the face of God and experience Him more fully.
One of Peter’s favorite quotes is, “The way you live is the way you lead.” What we do in our private life will show up in how we are disciples of Christ. God wants our hearts transformed so we become more like Christ. There is no better way to undergo a heart transformation then spending time in the Word and being hid away for at least some part of every day with the Lord.
FROM TWO FACED TO TRUE FACED
When we are consistently positioned in His presence then we can show up big in the world as a way to honor and glorify God. When you as a man find fatherly validation from God then you can live life authentically in public. When we get away from the lie that we have to prove something to someone is when we are truly free in Christ.
That is who we truly are at face value, sons of Christ who are loved unconditionally by our Father God.
