Today’s reading is Acts 21:1-22:30.

“When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, ‘Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place!’” (Acts 21:27-28).

None of this was true. The crowds believed it, no doubt. But it simply wasn’t true. The fact is, no matter how I live, some folks will attribute the wrongs motives, the wrong attitudes, even the wrong actions to me. But who had the problem here. Was it Paul? No. It was the crowd. This was not an issue between Paul and the crowds, this was an issue between the crowds and God.

Here’s the kicker for me. My job today is to do the next right thing. My job today is to do what is right because it is right in order to glorify God. It is not my job to manage everyone else’s thoughts and feelings about me (don’t misunderstand, when i’m doing what is right because it is right in order to glorify God, I’m not walking all over other people and their feelings). The truth is, if I am doing what is wrong but have put off a persona that makes everyone think great things about me, it doesn’t change that I did wrong. In the same way, if I’m doing what is right, but someone else thinks wrong of me, that is their problem. I don’t have to go around fixing everyone’s views of me. I simply need to do what is right.

What a great example from Paul.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?