Acts 21:17-26 – Paul’s arrival at Jerusalem
- “What to do when you are misunderstood.”
- Every leader will be misunderstood.
- Every leader will suffer from false rumors
- It is going to happen, it can’t be avoided but what you do next is important.
- In Paul’s case he arrives home to announce the amazing news of gentiles turning to Jesus and after a short amount of rejoicing he is immediately told of a problem; it is being said that he is turning these new converts away from Moses and their Jewish roots.
- Its not true.
- But that is not the point – it still has to be dealt with.
- Here are his options:
- ignore the accusations.
- attack his attackers in a similar fashion
- get others to fight on his behalf
- follow Jesus’ example
- Jesus had a very special technique in dealing with those who attacked him. I write about it in The Line and the Dot pg 105-107.
- In Paul’s case he responds by not entering into an argument but out of love for his attackers demonstrates through sacrifice to himself the truth.
- The suggestion is made that he sponsors four presumably poor men in their purifications rights.
- He does not need to do this – he does it because winning his attackers over is more important to him than being right.
- It would have cost him one: at the very least one lamb/ram per person – so at least five in all – depending on the nature of the purification rights.
- It would have cost him time as he had to join in, he could not just pay money. It was a seven day process.
- It would have cost him convenience. He has just arrived home after a very long time away. He would have wanted to do so many other things and catch up with so many people.
- Remember: he did not have to do this but he chose to do it.
- Praying for that kind of love for my attackers.
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