on Acts 17:16-34

"While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. He went to the synagogue to debate with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there." (16-17)

"So Paul, standing before the Council, addressed them as follows: "Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious, for as I was walking along I saw your many altars. And one of them had this inscription on it--'To an Unknown God.' You have been worshiping him without knowing who he is, and now I wish to tell you about him." (22-23)

"When they heard Paul speak of the ressurection of a person who had been dead, some laughed, but others said: "We want to hear more about this later." That ended Paul's discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers." (32-34)

I love the picture that Paul creates in this passage, as well as the direction he provides us for dealing with the culture around us. It's clear from the way this account was written that Paul was troubled by what he saw, implying that Athens was a place that didn't exactly have their hearts set on God. If that was true then for him, how much more for us now? One look tells us all we need to know about the world around us. Much like the physical statues that the men and women of the ancient city in Greece worshipped and prayed to, we have created false idols of our own. We use physical possessions, emotional highs, twisted relationships, and misguided searches in an attempt to fill the void we have in our lives. Like the citizens of Athens, we are praying "to an unknown God"...

So, how do we deal with the gap that's created? How do we adequately and effictively share the love and power of Christ without upsetting the applecart, chasing away those who honestly want to find Him? Well, obviously, we're called to speak the truth no matter what. So there will always be those who we will not be able to please, no matter our approach. But, in this passage, Paul gives us a pretty radical and practical blueprint for dealing with those who are earnestly seeking.

It would have been easy for Paul to come into the "Council" guns blazing, shooting up the traditions and culture of the people he was trying to reach. But, instead, he offers a far more pragmatic approach. Paul looks for the common denominator...something he can point to that will help them to understand that he was just like them, and he grasped where they were coming from. In this case, Paul is able to point to the "religiousness" of the people of Athens. It was clear they were looking for something Higher than themselves. They just weren't sure what it was. Along comes our hero, who is able to put a face and a personality on their "Unknown God".

Interestingly enough--and worth noting for own benefit--there seems to be no huge revival here. Indeed, we are told that some even laughed at Paul. But, it's made clear that some wanted to hear more, and their lives were transformed into Christ-followers. The clear inference from the conclusion of this passage is that, no matter how we approach telling others about Christ, we will face rejection. However, if just a few--or even one--come to know Him, our effort is worth it.

Too often, I believe Christians take the "Rambo" approach to evangelism: shoot first; ask questions later. As I said, we need to always speak the truth. But how much more powerful is that truth if it's spoken in love? How much more af an impact can we make if we try to understand those who don't know Christ, instead of dismissing them away from Him automatically? Like Paul, may we make every effort to understand and connect with the culture around us. May we look for common connections (after all, once we were just like them!), an opening to share our lives with them, and, above all else, an opportunity to truly show the love of Christ.