14:1 "Now it happened in Iconium that they went together
to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the
Jews and of the Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the
Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. 3 Therefore they stayed
there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the
word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
4 But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with
the Jews, and part with the apostles. 5 And when a violent attempt was made by
both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, 6 they
became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the
surrounding region. 7 And they were preaching the gospel there."
Have you noticed a pattern in Acts yet? Talking about Jesus
created believers and enemies. The enemies resisted to the point of injustice
or violence and then the preachers moved on to another place only to start the
cycle over again.
There are some exceptions though. When Peter and John were
preaching in the temple and got arrested and threatened they went right back to
the temple after their release and kept preaching. When we examine Jesus' life
we find there were times He stayed in a place and faced the resistance and
other times where He simply went elsewhere.
We struggle with that. I can't tell you how many times over
the years in classrooms and meetings and discussions with colleagues that we
expose out A vs B thinking. Someone will describe a scenario and then ask
"What should be done in such a case?"
The fallacy is in the question. The question is framed in
such a way as to create the illusion that there is only one answer that applies
in every similar circumstance. Question: "When I face resistance should I
keep going or pack my bags and move on?"
Years ago there was a movement called WWJD - What Would Jesus
Do? A friend and fellow pastor turned the acronym around to WDJD - What Did
Jesus Do. Neat trick but it does not solve the dilemma. Sometimes Jesus faced
His resistors and sometimes He moved on and left them alone. Not very helpful
right?
I can't emphasize this truth enough. Rarely is there a hard
definite one size fits all answer to any question. Every circumstance is different.
Sometimes staying will do more good than harm. Sometimes staying will do more
harm than good. There is no textbook answer. There is no "Thus saith the
Lord" answer that applies to all situations.
The answer is much more fluid but much more effective. Jesus
said "My sheep know My voice and they follow Me." We don't need a
textbook. We need a living constant connection with God. He knows the answer of
when to hold'em and when to fold'em, when to walk away and when to stay.
Resistance is bound to come. The Gospel of the love of God is always divisive.
Some of us just prefer our own ways and desire to have the illusion of full
control rather than submit to the matchless love and infinitely better plans of
our Father. Navigating that resistance requires a living connection with
heaven. He knows every heart. He knows every circumstance. He knows where and
when and how to best approach every situation. Don't reach for a textbook or
the opinions of others to navigate the tight spots. Don't fall for the illusion
that there is a one size fits all answer. Trust God. Seek His leading and trust
He is with you even if/when you make the wrong choice. "God can steer a
moving ship."
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