The ‘Good News’, tell it like it is
and give credit to whom it is due…
'In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. ' Acts 14:8-10
'When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. ' Acts 14:11-12
'But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: ' '“Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” ' Acts 14:14-17
i think a lot of people would get caught up in the adulation, the recognition, and certainly the rewards or gifts that you might expect from people who just witnessed a miracle and think you are a ‘god’ if not The One and Only God:
'The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.' Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them. Acts 14:13,18
when that happens, do you immediately give all the praise, glory, and honor to our Heavenly Father, to Jesus, or do you bask in the limelight and forget who really provided the healing, the restoration? paul and barnabas immediately recognized that those around them were starting to worship them as if the power was innately theirs and not from above.
they prostrated themselves, knowing full well they were not worthy of being lifted up, that they began telling the crowds they were no better or worse than them, only that they have an amazing God, not an unknown ‘god’, which is the great news that people needed to hear.
i think the majority of us who have wonderful, terrific news want to share it with those they love, even strangers, especially if everyone else benefits from it other than ourselves. only want to do so without the focus, emphasis on what “i did”. it’s not that your or my role, in whatever The Lord is calling us to do, isn’t important, it is not nor should it be about us. it is the Cross of Christ, our Savior Jesus, and through Him alone we have redemption and freedom that you will not get from anyone nor anywhere else.
Father God, thank you for your Son, Jesus. may we never forget that whenever something good, amazing, unbelievable happens from using us for your Kingdom purposes, we will always give you all the glory, honor, and attention. you deserve our highest praise. in Jesus’ name i pray, amen!