Your Influence for Christ Starts With Who You Are

"Three days after Paul’s arrival in Rome, he called together the local Jewish leaders. He said to them, '. . . I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could explain to you that I am bound with this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel—the Messiah—has already come.' They replied, '. . . .  we want to hear what you believe . . . ..'  

So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening.  Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe.”     Acts 28:17-24(NLT)


Today's Reflection  

As soon as Paul got to Rome he called a meeting of all the synagogue leaders he could muster. Paul was a Jew, a Pharisee, and could “talk their language”. He told them all about what he had experienced and that it all centered on Jesus. However when he got to speak to the entire crowd the results were mixed. Some believed, some didn’t.

What else is new? In tomorrow’s reflection you will read God’s comments on this on one of the most important passages in the entire Bible, so stay tuned.

What is striking is that Paul, despite seeming to have given up on his brothers and sisters in Judaism in earlier chapters of Acts, here he is again, starting with his “family”, the Jews. He just can’t seem to allow himself to give up on anyone even though he says he does at various points. Read Romans 9 – 11 and you will see that he can’t give up on them not only because God doesn’t, but also, like God, Paul loves them!

Do you give up on people? Perhaps God wants you to repent of your having given up on someone and renew your heart attitude toward them and do whatever it takes to invest your heart and love and prayers in them again. Of course it is painful, but what is Christian love other than, like Jesus absorbing pain from another, and responding with love and forgiveness and new starts anyway?

Today's Prayer

“Lord,  thank you, thank you, thank you for the example of Paul’s persistence with those who have a history of rejecting him and You. Give me the obedience to love those whom I’ve given up on. I know that Satan’s cause is never more in danger than when a believer obeys at the moment he least wants to. In Christ’s Name. Amen”