Thanks to a miraculous healing, the good people of Lystra erupted in praise. The gods have come down to us in human form! Not missing an opportunity, the priest of Zeus bedecked the city gates with flowers and herded bulls into town to sacrifice to Paul and Barnabus.

Once Paul and Barnabus understood the situation, they ripped their clothes in distress and shouted, Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God. Even with their pleading, the crowd edged toward worship.

Then a turn as voices fed discontent. Perhaps disappointment and embarrassment fueled their anger, but adoring twisted into nasty. The mob stoned Paul, dragged him out of town and left him for dead. Somehow Paul survived and went back into the city. That took guts.

Beware the popularity of the in-crowd. Fickle and easily manipulated, the mob devours whoever stands in its path. Social media mobs run as helter-skelter as the swarm in Lystra, causing much broader damage. If you happen to join one, get out quickly, for the mob eventually turns on itself.

As Paul and Barnabus moved on, they added a new insight to their teaching—We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. Words they preached and more importantly, words they lived, carrying the scars of their hardships to the end of their days.

Acts 14 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Andrea Lightfoot