I wonder what I would do if I was all alone in some strange pagan city where I knew nobody and where I had no Christian support but I knew my Christian co-workers were on the way.
My guess is that I would quietly go to my hotel room and pray and study the scriptures to get ready for the rest of the missionary team to arrive. That, after all, would be the prudent thing to do, right? Why endanger the future of the ministry here by going out on my own?
But Paul wasn’t me. When Paul saw the city that was totally given to idolatry his heart was stirred up. He was moved because they didn’t know anything about Christ. It reminds me of when Jesus looked out over Jerusalem and His heart was moved with compassion because they were like sheep having no shepherd.
He couldn’t just sit back and wait when He knew the need was so pressing. They needed Jesus and they need Him now. He went into the market places and the shops and anywhere people were gathered and told people about Jesus.
Oh for that kind of heart and fervour. Oh for that kind of faith and compassion and selflessness in my own life. We live in a world that is wholly given over to its own kind of idolatry. Most of just get frustrated and bothered and disgusted by this world. Instead of our hearts being stirred we just get bothered. A lot of folks try to use societal change or new laws or politcal leaders to make change. We’ve been trying that for centuries and have really had no success.
If we were truly stirred we would do what Paul did – we would devote our time and energy to telling people about Jesus.
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