Unknown God

The reading today is Acts 17:16-34 (English Standard Version)

16Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17So
he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and
in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.   

Paul taught the people.  They came and listened to him.  He taught them things they hadn't heard before and their response was to take hold of him and bring him to their place of teaching.   At least that's my guess what the Areopagus was.    Because it is a place where "Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new".   And it is the place where Paul ended up standing and talking in the midst of.

Paul was bothered by all the idols that he saw (see v.16) but did he say that?  No.  I find that fascinating.  That would be my immediate inclination...to attack what I saw that I didin't like.  But Paul didn't do that.

First he taught people in general, and then when he was brought before scholars... he taught them what they didn't know they already knew.

They worshipped an "unknown god".   Paul took the time to introduce them to this "unknown god."    Read his words: 

"Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23For
as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found
also an altar with this inscription, 'To the unknown god.' What
therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25nor
is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he
himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26And
he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of
the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of
their dwelling place, 27that
they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward
him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28for

   "'In him we live and move and have our being';

      as even some of your own poets have said,

   "'For we are indeed his offspring.'

    29Being
then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is
like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and
imagination of man. 30The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31because
he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by
a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all
by raising him from the dead."

Paul didn't mock, attack or deride them.
He merely taught them.

As expected.... some mocked what he said, but others...ah but others said "we will hear you again about this."  Some people listened, they really did.

This gives me courage.   I know that many of the people that I meet in life will not really want to hear what I have to say about the Lord that I love.  But some will, some might really listen.    If my words and actions can get just even one person to consider God more seriously...or even at all...then I think I've done what I should as a Christian.

I have to pray that, like Paul, I will have wisdom in how I met their query.  Will I attack, deride, mock, or run away from that which bothers my spirit OR will I find that teachable moment...and teach?   I will need to pray more fervently that I will do the latter - especially since it is so easy to do the former!