Acts 14: 8-10 "In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
I've been thinking about the stark contrast between this town/these verses and the town /verses before where others heard Paul and Barnabus preach truth... many believed, but then there those who in their stubbornness, paranoia, and jealousy felt the need to stir up others into behaviors they may not have performed otherwise.
Acts 14:1-2 "At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers."
I have been both of these examples in my life. I have believed, and I have been the cause of others unbelief and at the very least not led them any closer by my words and actions.
But what I long to be more often is the lame man of Lystra. Where after only a short time around me and upon a closer look there would be no doubt of my faith and willingness to get up and walk - even into the fire.
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