Standing Strong Amidst the Spectators
Acts 28:6a
Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds…
Isn’t it interesting at just how many people have nothing better to do than to just sit around and wait for you to fall? I wish to address those of you who are in a situation where others are not offering to aid or help you in your dilemma, but rather they are getting entertainment out of watching you go through your hardships, just hoping you will die, so they can say, “I told you so!” to their buddies they have been placing bets with. Have you ever been there? If so, you’re not alone!
Often is the case, especially in church (can I be real?), that there are more spectators than there are companions in the ministry. It never occurs to them that you could use a little help or a little encouragement, because all they’re interested in is winning their bet on how long they think you’ll last! They are getting a kick out of what is draining the life out of you. Don’t be surprised when you discover those in your life who are willing to stand idly by and permit you to invest everything you’ve got into their spiritual wellbeing, even to the point of your own demise, without showing so much as a little appreciation or concern for your wellbeing in the process. This is not a complaint; just a reality of ministry they don’t teach you in Bible College! That being said, just know that when Satan bites you, and the barbarians bet on you, Christ will bring you through! God is setting you up as a spectacle, so that when what should have killed you doesn’t, and what should have been the end of your ministry is just the beginning, those beholding will have a testimony against them of their perception of you as a man or a woman of God.
Some will have a change of heart to the point of conversion, and others will have a change of heart to the point of confusion. These barbarians in our text were not converted; they were confused. They went from accusing Paul of being a murderer, to being a god. The point is, God will have the last laugh, and He will confirm the word of His servants. He will preserve you, and those who hate you and wish you dead, in time, will see God’s hand continually on your ministry. Just let God be God in your life!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds…
Isn’t it interesting at just how many people have nothing better to do than to just sit around and wait for you to fall? I wish to address those of you who are in a situation where others are not offering to aid or help you in your dilemma, but rather they are getting entertainment out of watching you go through your hardships, just hoping you will die, so they can say, “I told you so!” to their buddies they have been placing bets with. Have you ever been there? If so, you’re not alone!
Often is the case, especially in church (can I be real?), that there are more spectators than there are companions in the ministry. It never occurs to them that you could use a little help or a little encouragement, because all they’re interested in is winning their bet on how long they think you’ll last! They are getting a kick out of what is draining the life out of you. Don’t be surprised when you discover those in your life who are willing to stand idly by and permit you to invest everything you’ve got into their spiritual wellbeing, even to the point of your own demise, without showing so much as a little appreciation or concern for your wellbeing in the process. This is not a complaint; just a reality of ministry they don’t teach you in Bible College! That being said, just know that when Satan bites you, and the barbarians bet on you, Christ will bring you through! God is setting you up as a spectacle, so that when what should have killed you doesn’t, and what should have been the end of your ministry is just the beginning, those beholding will have a testimony against them of their perception of you as a man or a woman of God.
Some will have a change of heart to the point of conversion, and others will have a change of heart to the point of confusion. These barbarians in our text were not converted; they were confused. They went from accusing Paul of being a murderer, to being a god. The point is, God will have the last laugh, and He will confirm the word of His servants. He will preserve you, and those who hate you and wish you dead, in time, will see God’s hand continually on your ministry. Just let God be God in your life!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill