Heralds Digest

“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.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭ 14:19 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.14.19.nkjv   The incidence of stoning in life is sometimes not the cause of pain, but the serial transition between praise and persecution. In just the previous verse, Barnabas and Paul struggled to stop the people of Lystra from sacrificing to or celebrating them. “Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came” to Lystra and the moment of sacrificing unexpectedly changed to stoning. But after they were haunted and hauled to near death by gravel, they were helped and healed to life by grace. Even though the haulage of stones in the paths of progress and prosperity are mostly unexpected, the supply of grace is always abundant for those who wait upon the Lord.

“...and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭ 14:15 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.14.15.nkjv   Much ado about the desire for ‘likes’ on social media, the worship of social, political and religious celebrities and an addiction to a self-influencing lifestyle has almost all the characteristics and disposition of the idolatrous people of Lystra. They had expected Barnabas and Paul would share the same mindset of embracing and celebrating the attraction of people to themselves. Likewise, Men, Women, Boys, and Girls of today, why are we doing these things in our daily engagements? Besides letting people see how gracious, loving, and caring Jesus has turned a once selfish and worthless life, life’s engagements remain much about profits without purpose.