“8 In Lystra a man without strength in his feet, lame from birth, and who had never walked, sat 9 and heard Paul speaking. After observing him closely and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” And he jumped up and started to walk around.

11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the form of men!” 12 And they started to call Barnabas, “Zeus,” and Paul, “Hermes,” because he was the main speaker. 13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the town, brought oxen and garlands to the gates. He, with the crowds, intended to offer sacrifice.

14 The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Men! Why are you doing these things? We are men also, with the same nature as you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In past generations He allowed all the nations to go their own way, 17 although He did not leave Himself without a witness, since He did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and satisfying your hearts with food and happiness.” 18 Even though they said these things, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.

19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they had won over the crowds and stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. 20 After the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.”

Acts 14:8-20

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In this passage, we find four different perspectives on one event. We have Paul & company & their Christian perspective; the people of Lystra who think they’re gods, the others who are receiving the teaching about Jesus & the Jews from Antioch & Iconium. They each have a different understanding of what is going on here, but only one can be right. Paul’s preaching is prooved by the miraculous signs that God is doing through him, in addition to their desire to see God glorified and not self. They were not out looking for publicity for themselves, not seeking fame and fortune. Instead, they maintained their humility in the face of praise and adoration, misguided though it was. The native Lystrans who were still of a pagan mindset tried to explain what they were seeing through their own lenses of interpretation, and the others who were receiving the Gospel were seeing through new eyes for the first time. The angry Jews who chased down Paul had their own agenda, and would have dismissed anything they experienced as being ungodly. 

As we GoLove others, we must be mindful of where they are coming from, what angle their perspective might be coming from. Paul spoke to them from a perspective of naturalistic theology, showing how God reveals Himself through nature, so that they might have a starting point that their pagan perspective would grasp. The angry Jews were in no position to listen, and so they weren’t spoken to, but rather, barely escaped. Be mindful of the soil where you scatter your seed. Use every opportunity well, and be discerning where you spend your time. Some people want to hear, want to change, want to move…others simply want to retain their own perspective or get angry when they are challenged. Expect any and all of these responses. And know that they have not rejected you, but that they have rejected the Gospel message.

It’s difficult not to take it personally, and I’m sure Paul felt every one of those stones that beat his body. But we must remember that Jesus told us that the world was going to hate us like it hated Him. We know that we are fighting a battle, not just selling something, and that there are going to be wounds and discomfort along the way. But if we take a few hits for the Gospel, find ourselves in chains for the message of salvation through Christ, then every moment of it is worth it, because He is glorified through it all. So, hang in there, trust the Master, listen to His voice and keep on scattering seed. Do not be discouraged when the Gospel is rejected by some, but know that the responsibility for its reception is not yours. Just be a faithful servant and be mindful of the task at hand.