The Misunderstanding of Power

What a gloomy day it is. Fridays should have lots of sunshine, don't you think? Maybe the gloominess will help the work day go faster. More time doing work and less time wistfully staring out the window at sunshine, right?


Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Thurs, Feb. 26- What happened to Paul in Lystra?
Acts 14:19, “They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.”

And here's the question of the day:
Fri, Feb. 27- Who was appointed to priests?


And here's the reflection of the day:
Today's reading from Acts 14 is all about power, specifically God's power. But we also see how power can be misused and misunderstood.

Paul and Barnabas are minding their own business, doing their preaching and teaching and healing as usual. They heal a man who was a cripple from birth, just like the disciples have healed many others along the way, but this time it's a little different. Generally speaking, the crowds typically misunderstand God's power, but they take the misunderstanding to a new level in this passage.

It's a new level because the crowd misunderstands their power and believes they are gods. Specifically, the crowd thinks Barnabas is Zeus and Paul is Hermes. And those who were worshipers of Zeus coming rushing out from their temple to offer sacrifices to Barnabas.

It would make for a good comedic scene from a movie, don't you think? Maybe something along the lines of a Monty Python movie?

But Barnabas and Paul are not amused. They are not gods--they are "do-ers and be-ers" of the Word, and it is GOD's power working through them. This is God's power which has been working for the good of humanity since the beginning of time. Though they try to explain the situation, the crowd doesn't listen. Preparations for sacrifice to them continue.

Power, even power for good, can be easily misunderstood. Power is likely to be misunderstood and even misused. The believers--both Jewish and Gentile--may improperly believe that God's power is actually magic. These unbelievable healings, done through Christ's power by the disciples, were sure to draw a crowd; and the crowd is sure to be paying more attention to the miracle and NOT to the accompanying explanation.

People easily confuse those who act for God as God. Those who preach and teach and heal are always in danger of people assuming THEY are the source of the power.

We all have "heroes of the faith"--mature Christians who taught us and challenged us and influence our walk with God. It is tempting for us to put THEM in God's place, to value their opinion more than God's. It is easy (and common) to put a favorite Sunday School teacher or pastor or youth group leader up on a pedestal.

But to give them credit for the differences they make in our lives is to take credit AWAY from God, just as giving the disciples the credit for the healing is to misunderstand God's power. We are all called to be instruments of God, to be a bearer of God's Word and God's power. And as we carry that power, we must each be careful to give God the credit, to pass the glory along to Him.

Remember to take your umbrella!
Allison