Acts 17:10-12
That night, under cover of darkness, their friends got Paul and Silas out of town as fast as they could. They sent them to Berea, where they again met with the Jewish community. They were treated a lot better there than in Thessalonica. The Jews received Paul’s message with enthusiasm and met with him daily, examining the Scriptures to see if they supported what he said. A lot of them became believers, including many Greeks who were prominent in the community, women and men of influence.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
We are in a season when a lot of young men and women are deciding what to do next. Graduation ceremonies are taking place all over the country. Just this week the NFL draft was held, and a member of the Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team was signed by the Arizona Cardinals to play football! I cannot tell you how many new “recruits” the Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team has added…and the number of team members that have entered the “transfer portal” and gone elsewhere to play for another college is ever-changing.
I say this to note that a friend mentioned to me the other day that one of her family members is considering a career change that could also involve a “life change.” Not everyone appears to be on board with his decision at this point, and my friend told him, “To thine own self be true.” This is sound advice for a lot of us…and in the case of Paul and Silas and their friends, this was literally a matter of life and death!
Paul and Silas knew what Jesus was asking of them. They knew His commands and were determined to keep them. In Thessalonica, people did not like what these men had to say. They apparently did not believe the Scriptures – if they even read them in the first place. They were locked into a different mindset, and the disparity between them and Jesus’ messengers was so vast it was almost insurmountable…at least at that time. So Paul and Silas moved on to Berea, where they received a better reception among a diverse group of people.
I share this to tell you that not everyone is always going to like us or agree with us. What we offer as disciples of Christ may not line up with their ideals and influences. Sadly, some will be so stuck in the “we’ve-always-been-taught-this-way” mode that they will not be able to look at God’s word with an open mind and see that what they truly believed to be the truth might have been influence by man’s desires and biases.
What I want us to remember are the words of my friend – to be true to ourselves and what we know in our hearts that Jesus is showing us…through Scripture, prayer, and everyday events. In other words, take courage. Know when to pick up, dust off your feet, and move forward. I am not suggesting you ever turn your back on a friend or loved one – or walk away from a situation where you know you can be of assistance…but don’t compromise what Jesus is telling you just to keep the peace, save face, or feel accepted and included.
When we truly learn to seek and cherish the acceptance and approval of Jesus Christ over any other, we have come full circle as His disciples. It has taken me decades to get to such a point…and I will not go back to a life of trying to please others or to say and do what is popular – and neither should you. Trust Jesus and be true to your faith and hope in Him. Believe that He will make a way for you to share the Good News, and there will be people who witness His message through your words and actions and believe for themselves.
We are in a season where a lot of us are deciding what to do next. My advice is to choose Jesus – and go where He sends you. Alleluia!
©2022 Debbie Robus
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