Lent day 10

Acts 14 : 19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. 21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

Just before this incident in Acts Paul has been pleading with people not to worship him.  Next thing he is being stoned.  Talk about a life of extremes!  When was the last time your witness for God led to someone wanting to worship you or kill you?

But that is the reaction the Gospel provokes - it should never lead to a reaction of apathy. Indifference.  It is such a radical message that it should stir up deep and passionate feelings.  It should lead to dancing in the streets and shouting from the rooftops.  Sometimes it leads to beheadings in the sand. But if the message is truly getting out then its going to have an impact one way or another.

I look at my life over the past fifteen years and wonder what impact, if any, I have had for the Gospel.  As far as I know I havent incited any riots.  Nobody wants to kill me.  There are no dead people giving testimony to the fact that they have been raised from death through my prayers.  No television news crews camping on my doorstep wanting to know the secret of my extraordinary life.  Anyone looking on from the outside would probably not be able to tell the difference between my life and the life of anyone else in my village.    What's the difference between me and Paul?  Lots of differences I suspect.

Paul knew he had been forgiven much.  He had a deeply personal and miraculous encounter with the person of Jesus and heard the audible voice of God.   He was given a mighty mission to take the gospel to the gentiles.   He was absolutely determined to fulfill that calling regardless of what it might mean for his personal safety.   All of this gave Paul a bit of an advantage over me. 

But thats just excuses isnt it? The bottom line is I just dont make a daily choice to make my life matter for God.  If I did Im sure life would get a lot more interesting and exciting.   Hmmmmm.   Food for thought.