Where Faith Meets Trials

So, there’s this story in Acts of a guy named Paul who basically is a huge part of the New Testament in the Bible. Paul used to be Saul, who, in a sense, was the Hitler of his day. He went from town to town, arresting and killing Christians. Until, one day, he came face to face with Jesus and was forever changed. From that day, he went on to plant churches, share the Gospel and minister to those who needed love.

But there’s this one particular part of Paul’s story that captivates me. In Acts 14, the dynamic duo of Paul and Barnabas enter this town called Lystra and begin sharing the Gospel. Unfortunately, people see them as Greek gods and try to bring sacrifices to them. Can’t a brother heal a man’s feet without being confused for a Greek god? Anyway, what ultimately ends up happening is a group of Jews come from Antioch and Iconium (neighboring towns) that persuade the crowd to hurl stones at Paul. After Paul, I’m assuming, was knocked out, they drag him outside the city.

But then Paul gets right up, dusts his shoulders off and heads right back into the city to continue sharing the Gospel. Now, this amazes me because so often, that is what I fear if I speak to people about Christ. While I’m not necessarily afraid of people literally hurling stones at my face, I am afraid of the stones taken form in words that threaten to knock me out and kick me out of social circles. Yet, when I read this, I thought, “He…just got back up and went back to what he got stoned for”?

I don’t know about you, but that’s challenging. I feel God impressing upon my heart to go and tell His story to people from all over and despite this fear that is trying so hard to paralyze me, I can’t help but think, that when I get knocked out, of that line from Batman Begins. Alfred says to Bruce, after Bruce begins to have second thoughts of being Batman (considering his mansion is kind of, well, on fire), “Why do we fall? So that we can pick ourselves back up”.

Chances are, we, as Christians, are going to get mocked for what we believe, especially when we share it with people. But we can’t really let that bum us out so bad to the point where we give up. Because, for one, if we do, that person that we tried talking to won’t know Christ and will continue drowning in the lies of the evil one. But also because, God is worth it.

Paul also says in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us”. So, while we may suffer a little while for starting up conversations about Christ that will more and likely make people uncomfortable, the hurtful words and other forms of mockery we may receive pale in comparison to when Christ comes in all His glory, looks at you and says, “Well done”.

It’s up to you. Whether you’re new to starting conversations about Christ or been doing it for some time now, you have to make the choice to get up, dust yourself off and go back into the city or to pack your things and go home.

Something to think about.