The Revolution

Yesterday was one of those times in Children’s Church where everything just sort of clicked!  Its classes like these that confirms why we do what you do.  I am a firm believer in keeping things moving quickly, have lots of variety and keep the students and helpers involved.  Like I mentioned, all of the transitions flowed like clock work, the kids were happy and in tune to the lesson, and the anointing just flowed!

At one point I had asked one of the students to read a particular scripture for the class.  After I gave her a little roadmap as to where to find the book of Ephesians, she picked up a Bible and began to flip through the pages naming the books off as she went.  Starting from the back of the New Testament she read off the name "Revelation" but pronounced it “revolution.”  Some of her classmates began to laugh as I gave her the correct pronunciation, when the thought hit me that she was right!  I turned to the class and explained to them how the message of the Good News actually was a revolutionary statement!

Today in the waking hours of daylight, before I arose, I suddenly began to think about the verse in the book of Acts where the Jewish leaders worked to stir up the crowd in Thessalonica against Paul and Silas, exclaiming that they had “turned the world upside down” with the message they preached throughout the Roman Colonies.  (Acts 17:6 English Standard Version) 

What a thought and an example for us to follow!  The phrase “upside down” in the Greek suggests the idea of stirring up, exciting and causing the minds of the listeners to be unsettled.  Is that a claim that follows you wherever you go?  Does your lifestyle, your actions and maybe most of all, your words cause others to think about making positive changes in their own lives? 

Paul and Silas were not men of violent action (Paul had drastically changed his methods after Jesus drastically changed his heart!).  They simply went into a town, preached in their churches, spoke in their streets and lived among the people.  Their words and their lives combined with the confirmation of God’s word (Mark 16:20), made people think.  Many times it made people uncomfortable.

I can remember an incident many years ago when I had received a promotion, when my new manager wanted to take myself and the other supervisors out to dinner so that the team could get to know me.  He mentioned that we would have “drinks” first.  When I responded that I didn’t drink, he was dumfounded, paused and then asked me very innocently, “then, what do you do?”  I chuckled a little and then said that I could have a soda or sparkling water.  My relaxed response calmed the situation and opened the door to many conversations about my faith and his beliefs over the next 3 or 4 years that we worked together.

Are you a “revolutionary figure” in your world?  Do you make people positively unsettled?  Think about it this week.  Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What “Revolutionary” Things am I expecting this week?”