Day 259: Who's Help Do You Rely Upon?Acts 17:13-14
When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea.
Thoughts for Today:Not long ago my son Ryan and daughter Rebecca were kidding me about the length of the lectures I used to give them while growing up. As a father I have a lot to say and I use the little time I get with my children (even as adults) to carefully impart what I consider to be crucial words of wisdom and training. Over the years I've gotten better at this, but occasionally my wife will need to nudge me, or gently change the subject; it is her way of telling me I've reached my time limit. I am well aware of the danger in saying too much, and it is quite simply that children (and people) stop listening.
In our passage today, "the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up." We've gotten to know Paul pretty well through the Book of Acts, and quite frankly I don't think leaving in the face of adversity was in his personality profile. So what happens next? "The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast;" so quickly in fact that Silas and Timothy were left behind. Clearly a sense of urgency and danger was felt by those surrounding Paul. Paul might not have said everything he wanted to say, or accomplished everything he wanted to accomplish, but he deferred to the timing of the brothers and he immediately left Berea.
Questions to Ponder:Who helps you with your timing? Who let's you know when you're going too far or have said enough? Without the help of the brothers (who sent him away), Paul might very well have stayed in Berea too long and quite possibly have lost his own life or the lives of others. We all need the help of other Christian brothers and sisters in this area. Who do you listen to? Whose judgment do you defer to? Go so far as to give this person(s) permission to nudge you when you have gone too far.
When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea.
Thoughts for Today:Not long ago my son Ryan and daughter Rebecca were kidding me about the length of the lectures I used to give them while growing up. As a father I have a lot to say and I use the little time I get with my children (even as adults) to carefully impart what I consider to be crucial words of wisdom and training. Over the years I've gotten better at this, but occasionally my wife will need to nudge me, or gently change the subject; it is her way of telling me I've reached my time limit. I am well aware of the danger in saying too much, and it is quite simply that children (and people) stop listening.
In our passage today, "the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up." We've gotten to know Paul pretty well through the Book of Acts, and quite frankly I don't think leaving in the face of adversity was in his personality profile. So what happens next? "The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast;" so quickly in fact that Silas and Timothy were left behind. Clearly a sense of urgency and danger was felt by those surrounding Paul. Paul might not have said everything he wanted to say, or accomplished everything he wanted to accomplish, but he deferred to the timing of the brothers and he immediately left Berea.
Questions to Ponder:Who helps you with your timing? Who let's you know when you're going too far or have said enough? Without the help of the brothers (who sent him away), Paul might very well have stayed in Berea too long and quite possibly have lost his own life or the lives of others. We all need the help of other Christian brothers and sisters in this area. Who do you listen to? Whose judgment do you defer to? Go so far as to give this person(s) permission to nudge you when you have gone too far.
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