Poisoned Minds



Acts 14:1-7
1Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.
2But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
3So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
4But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles.
5When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them,
6they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country,
7and there they continued to preach the gospel.

One of the aspects of Bible reading that I always have to guard against is reading between the lines. I am very much a believer that what the text says it says and what it doesn’t say shouldn’t be mentally added. But it is such an easy trap into which we sometimes fall. Our reading for today doesn’t provide a huge amount of detail so it is tempting to fill in the gaps. I imagine a scene where Paul and Barnabas daily go to the synagogue and share when asked to do so. They spent a great deal of time in Iconium (verse 3) and now the “sanctified imagination” takes over. Since they were there for so long one imagines that they formed relationships and lived inside of a functioning Christian community. They become the teachers of the group and spend their days speaking of Jesus and watching the faith of the listeners grow. The Holy Spirit speaks with and through them enabling them to know what to do next. Not only do they teach, but they are enabled to perform (healing) miracles as well.

Of course, whenever Jesus is preached, opposition arises. That is true today even in areas where Christianity is supposedly acceptable. Those who do not want to accept the Lord are often threatened by just hearing the invitation. In the case of Paul and Barnabas they opposition is so great their enemies plot to kill them. This is not the first time they experience this nor will it be the last. Matthew records for us what Jesus instructed the Disciples what to do in this case – flee.

Matthew 10:23
When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

There’s no need to stay and preach Jesus when it will mean your death. Had Paul stubbornly stayed and allowed himself to be killed his missionary ministry would have died with him. This did not serve God’s greater purpose and it was okay to run. Here’s where I read between the lines again; the Holy Spirit directs Paul’s actions because he is carefully attuned to God’s voice through the Holy Spirit. When God says that’s good for this area, get out, that’s what they do.

We too need to learn when to walk (run!) away. Not everyone will embrace the Gospel with open arms and that is their choice. Paul knew that the rejection of those Jewish and Gentile leaders was not his fault or his problem to solve. Not every rejection is mine to fix. In fact, none of them are. That responsibility lies with God. And I’m happy to leave it with Him.

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