GET INTO A TEAM

132/365

Acts 14:19 Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.

The Jews described in today’s text came from elsewhere into another territory. In their new territory, they found a way to get Paul stoned and this was by ‘persuading the crowds’ or as other versions render those words: ‘they won the crowd over’. After this had been achieved, stoning Paul would have been the least of what they could get them to do. Two lessons stand out here:

The first, you have to sell what you offer in a way that gets others to buy into it. Whether it is an idea, a proposal, a vision or goal, while there exists a Grace for visibility to get a crowd to lean towards you, you ought to be able to present the same vision so others can buy into. Because until anyone identifies with and finds their place in what you’re offering, they won’t run with it.

The second, ‘don’t go running alone’. You have skill, you have ability and you are much talented, no doubts about that. Regardless of your capacity, to attempt to run this race of life independently is a definite recipe for disaster. The immediate intention of the Jews today was to ‘win the crowd over’ : a team to run with, a circle to lean on, people who are unafraid to cheer, correct and encourage you.

Beloved, the life we live is one involving others, to choose to go at it alone will most likely leave you exhausted. Get a team, even if it’s in a team with one other.

#sly