You Can Make A Difference

What permeates your world? The constant reminder of evil, violence, angst, and upheaval seen on your local TV station? Or the peace found by resting and trusting God amid the upheaval.

I’m not saying the difficulties in our world aren’t troubling and real. I am asking where our focus lies as we face them. Are we taking “every thought captive to Jesus Christ”?   

Think about it. The early Jesus-followers were occupied by Roman troops, ruled by a tyrannical government, and assaulted by hate-filled religious leaders. Yet those who knew and watched their lives wrote…

“Now after Paul and Silas had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul entered the synagogue, as was his custom, and for three Sabbaths he engaged in discussion and friendly debate with them from the Scriptures, explaining and pointing out [scriptural evidence] that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you, is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).”And some of them were persuaded to believe and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and many of the leading women. But the [unbelieving] Jews became jealous, and taking along some thugs from [the lowlifes in] the market place, they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and then attacking Jason’s house tried to bring Paul and Silas out to the people. But when they failed to find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too; and Jason has welcomed them [into his house and protected them]! And they all are saying things contrary to the decrees of Caesar, [actually] claiming that there is another king, Jesus.” They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. And when they had taken security (bail) from Jason and the others, they let them go.” (Acts 17:1-9 Amplified)

The disciples are described as participating in “discussion and friendly debate.” There are many today who would like to silence you as they did the early disciples, but the disciples refused to allow this to stop them. They persisted. Their approach and persistence caused even their opponents to recognize that they were turning their hate-filled world upside down.

How? Through engagement, friendship, discussion, and debate. Next week let’s discuss how we, too, can create and pursue this type of conversation with those we meet every day.

And by the way, my friend Candy, did arrive at the Fish Whistle and we spent the next two hours in positive, encouraging conversation sharing all God is doing in our lives this past month! Were nearby diners listening? Absolutely! Who knows what seeds were planted in their lives as we retold the wonderful things God is doing? Never forget, there are many ways to share the truth of Jesus Christ, even in “discussion and friendly debate.”