Wednesday 17 May 2023
- Bible Book:
- Acts
'Why are you doing this? We ourselves are only human beings like you! We are here to announce the Good News, to turn you away from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven, earth, sea, and all that is in them.' (v. 15)
Background
Today we read that Paul and Barnabas travelled to Lystra and, while they were there, healed a man who had been lame since birth and unable to walk. This provoked a response from the people, who decided that if Paul and Barnabas were able to do miracles, they must be divine.
Paul and Barnabas did all they could to persuade people that they weren’t divine, and eventually they stopped them offering a sacrifice to them. They did so by focussing on their mission: to share the good news of Jesus.
However, the fame that Paul enjoyed didn’t last long. Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded the crowds to stone Paul, leaving him for dead. Public opinion is fickle and the change of heart we see in Lystra is reminiscent of the change of heart that led to the crucifixion of Jesus.
This passage shows us a Paul who was strong-minded: he continued his ministry even after being stoned. He was also a man who was physically resilient; a man who knew who he was and didn’t want acclaim and fame. His strong will and commitment to his calling may have made Paul difficult to live with at times, but he was a man living out his calling to the best of his ability.
To Ponder:
- In what ways is the Christian faith not a matter of public opinion?
- How can we protect ourselves and the Church from adverse public opinion?
- In what ways is truth lost in the plethora of opinion to be found on public media?