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Show the way

 

Acts 24:22-23
Listen to today's devotional

In Acts 24, Felix listened to Paul's defense. The text tells us that the governor "was rather well informed about the Way." We know his wife was Jewish. So, she could have let Felix in on the information she had heard about this growing movement. As a political leader, he may have already been aware of the events that had been taking place. He may have investigated for himself what all the fuss was about.

It seems like something he knew about the Way impacted what he was willing to do for Paul.

I'd be curious to find out what he knew. I'm always somewhat curious to sense what people know about our faith. Sometimes, people who are not Christian may know more about the Christian faith than those who are. In our modern world, a simple web search can teach us far more about anything than Felix could ever think possible.

But I want to reflect on what we show the world about Christianity. Today's passage reminds us of the Way. That label pointed people to Jesus and identified his followers as those who followed his way. I'm all for bringing that ID and expectation back! Learning about a religion's background and history is one thing. But showing the world the Way with our daily lives is something different.


People notice our patience, integrity, generosity, humility, and how we treat others more than they notice our theological arguments. I'm convinced much of the supposed negativity directed toward Christianity is a result of many Christians not living up to those standards.

That means every interaction is a chance to demonstrate the Way. Is that a lot? Does that seem like a heavy burden? Perhaps. That's why we always pray for Spirit's help.

It's important for us to take time often to reflect on what our lives reveal to the world about Jesus. How are we embodying the Lord so that others can see how powerful the Way is?

Stay blessed...john

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