A Laugh and a Sigh

     Sometimes even the littlest things can tickle the funny bone. Yesterday,-strange though it may seem- it was a bible passage. Here it goes:

     "In Lystra, a man without strength in his feet, lame from birth, and who had never walked, sat and heard Paul speaking. After observing him closely and seeing that he had faith to be healed, Paul said in a loud voice, 'Stand up straight on your feet!' And he jumped up and started to walk around When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voiced, saying in the Lycaonian language, 'The gods have come down to us in the form of men!' And they started to call Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the main speaker. Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was outside the town, brought oxen and garlands to the gates. He, with the crowds, intended to offer sacrifice." Acts 14:8-13

    'What's so funny?' you may ask. Well, here were Paul and Barnabas, having just got kicked out of both Antioch and Iconium. They were relying boldly on the Lord, and He was working through them to spread the good news of Jesus Christ in places it had never been before. The Holy Spirit was filling their lives, and signs and wonders were being done because God 'testified to the message of His grace" through the apostles... and then this happens.
     It's just so typical. To put what we want in place of what really Is. Paul and Barnabas were just trying to do the work of the Lord, and the people are just messing it all up! Instead of listening to what the apostles were trying to tell them, the crowd started a pagan-party. A lame man was just healed, so should we listen to the men who called for it to happen? ...Naaahhh. Because that would mean giving up what we're comfortable with. That would mean actually having to acknowledge that we may just be in the wrong. That would mean changing.
     Seeing that the Lystrians were obviously sadly confused, Paul and Barnabas become distraught, passionately arguing the truth of God against worthless idolatry. But to no avail. "Even though they said these things, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them." And then what happened? Paul and Barnabas were kicked out of the city. Again.
     As I read this passage, the image of Paul and Barnabas actually having to explain that they were not gods just cracked me up. The silliness of it all! But then my laughter faded, and I slowly began to realize that, really, the Lystrians are no different than we often are today.
     How often do we ignore God's will and replace it in our conscience with our own? I don't mean just the big things. What job to apply for, or whether or not to become a full-time minister. I mean things like 'Hey, that kid looks lonely. Should I talk to him? ...Naaahhh. Give up some time to help someone fold the clothes? ...Naaahhh.' The mistake of the crowds of Lystria may seem foolish to us, but the small acts of rebellion are more dangerous than the big ones. If a ship is missing its sail, something obviously needs to be fixed. But a subtle leak? Oh, that'll be fine. Until it sinks the ship.
     All who have been washed by the blood of Christ have the Spirit in them. But oh, how easy it is to ignore the gentle proddings. The quiet whispers of the soul. Oh God, speak to us always. Never let us forget. You are God of all. Our whole lives; the big and the little. The good and the bad. Draw us to your side. Never let us go. Hold us, change us, love us.
     Let's not be the fools. We may not mistake His work for Zeus or Hermes, but we do tend to see things our way. And that is a dangerous mistake to make.  
    

      

"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

A person is only a person. But a person is a person indeed. We have been endowed by our Creator with the ability to cause change. We have only to use it.