“Why would we keep going?”
School activities, sports events, and a million “what’s for supper” comments crowded my weekly calendar, and among these responsibilities lie my Purpose with Perspective blog. I love to write about everyday life but, despite my desire, the busy season had me struggling to keep my fingers typing. As I watched another week come and go, I threw the towel in on a missed deadline and shifted to the next priority, my 6th grade girls Sunday School lesson. We had been studying different people in the book of Acts and I must say, the chapters had not been as easy as I expected...one week’s lesson included the story of a Eunuch. Ummmm…please don’t say, “Mrs. Adrienne, what’s a eunuch?”
Thankfully, this week’s lesson didn’t lead me to awkward questions, but did lead me straight to a writing for this week’s blog…follow me into what we read in class….
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.” Acts 14: 19-22
At first glance the text seems filled with odd names, that may leave us asking ‘is that a person or a place’ and possibly even ‘is Barnabas the bad guy they let go at crucifixion?’(side note, no…that would be Barrabas) After clarifying the hiccups within the text, the incredible message to our hearts was revealed in verse 20, “he got up and went back into the city.” A question listed in the lesson was, “Why would Paul get up after being stoned nearly to death and go back to share more?”
Let’s understand the setting for a moment before we answer that-Paul is on fire for the Lord, he wants to share the gospel, but this crowd is full of resentment and rage. There was not a polite, ‘no, thank you, I’m not interested in your message today.’ It was a clear ‘shut up and get lost,’ which must have left Paul feeling ultimately defeated. Yet, we see those intense words, ‘he went back.’
As I asked the 6th grade girls the question listed above, here was the answer, “because Paul knew about the goodness of God.”
Sit with that a minute. Paul knew about the goodness of God.
Yall, we probably aren’t being chased by a crowd with rocks, but we feel defeated sometimes with life. You may feel like a relationship is hopeless, despite your message of Jesus’ love for them and the freedom they could experience with it. You may feel misunderstood by others about your commitment to the Lord. Maybe life is filled with uncertain circumstances that leave you doubtful. Whatever the case, consider what Paul did. He got back up and went back at it. Did he feel overwhelmed-surely. Did he want to quit-probably. But notice what he preached after getting up “encouraging them to remain true to faith….and reminding them hardships would come.” Maybe for us, Paul would say, “first, drop to your knees, talk to your GOOD Father, trust Him, then get up, go out again to share the message of hope and perseverance.”
Thanks for supporting me on this writing endeavor. It’s fun and challenging, but I believe in the sharing the goodness of God so I will keep dusting myself off and going back to it.
