A Word from Acts 17

When you hear something that contradicts your deeply held values and beliefs, how do you respond? Do you get angry and  lash out against those who "disrespected" your convictions? Do you complain to others and spread discontent? Or do you try to understand where the person who challenged your beliefs is coming from? And do you go back to the bedrock of your beliefs, to see if what they're saying is true?

Well, in today's word from Acts 17, we see two different responses to new ideas. Paul and his friends had come to Thessalonica, where they began to speak about Jesus, "giving evidence from the scriptures that Christ had to suffer and rise again" (17:3) Of course, that was offensive to the some of the Jews in Thessalonica. And so, they formed a mob and lashed out, saying, "These men who've upset the world have come here also!" (17:6) And the level of hatred got so high that Paul and his friends had to leave and go Berea.

Not surprisingly, they preached the same message there they had proclaimed in Thessalonica. But the audience in Berea handled these new ideas differently. "They received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." (17:11; emphasis added)

Of course, it's worth remembering that the Jews in both cities were deeply committed to God's Word. And that's part of what made them so upset when Paul came along, preaching a message that was unfamiliar. But where the first group cared more about protecting their interpretation of truth, the second cared more about seeking truth. And so, they turned to the source of truth, even if it challenged their preconceived ideas.

Naturally, we're also confronted by questions about truth. "What's the purpose of our lives, and how should we live them? What priorities should guide us, and how are we meant to treat those who differ from us?" 

So let's examine the Scriptures today ~ and every day ~ to find the One who is the Truth, and the Way, and the Life. Amen.