Acts 21: 27 When the
seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at
the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting,
“Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere
against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought
Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 29 (They
had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and
assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)
30 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all
directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and
immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were
trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the
whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at
once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the
rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
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Feeling pressured
and not wanting to get in trouble, I thought of a “story” to cover myself. I
had broken the bottom window of the door by losing my grip on my bike.
Something popped in my head. I could blame the kid from two doors over. I mean,
he “could” throw things, right? So what if he was in his wheelchair and wasn’t
outside and the bushes would have not made it possible.
There were times
when I was determined to cover myself.
There were times when
I was too scared to even admit wrong to myself.
There were times
when I felt it was easier to lie rather than facing the consequences of my
actions.
Some Jews recognized
Paul and immediately thought of lies. They grabbed him and told the crowd that Paul,
singlehandedly, told “everyone” “everywhere” to not follow the Jewish law that
he upheld. They also supposed he brought a Gentile into a Jewish temple. They
stirred the crowd to beat Paul because of their lies.
GOD wants me to be
courageous enough to tell the truth.
GOD wants me to be
in the practice of admitting my sin so when someone confronts me, it won’t
sting as much.
GOD wants me to
invite people to GOD rather than excluding them to one race.
Believing in “a”
truth is dangerous. I mean I can convince myself of anything regardless of the
overwhelming evidence. GOD has provided overwhelming evidence of HIS love for
humanity through HIS SON JESUS. HE chose to die for my sins and for that I am
truly grateful!
What lies are you
telling yourself or others?
When will you grow
up to stop lying to show you are superior or “right?”
If you are
courageous enough to lie to others and yourself, will you add to your courage
by dropping your lies and telling people about “the” truth of JESUS being the
only Savior today?
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