STRENGTHEN A BELIEVER

Today's reading: Acts 14-15

"After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned again to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch of Pisidia, where they strengthened the believers..." Acts 14:21 NLT

I'm not so sure this verse would have caught my eye had I not read the two verses preceding it.

I mean, I knew Paul and Barnabas preached the Good News.

I knew they traveled from town to town doing it.

I knew they were encouragers.

But here is what made this verse jump off the page at me...

"Now some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the crowd into a murderous mob. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, apparently dead. But as the believers stood around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe." Acts 14:29-20 NLT

I know there may be a bit of a time lapse between verse 20 and 21, but let's be really honest here--would you have gone right back to where they had attempted to stone you?

To where they had wanted to kill you?

To where they thumbed their nose at the Good News you were bringing them--for their own good?

I can imagine Paul standing before the believers, in an effort to encourage them and strengthen their resolve, bruised and possibly still bandaged.

I can imagine him haltingly stepping up to the podium when it was his turn to speak, still sore from the beating he had taken.

I can imagine him possibly attempting to look at his speaker's notes through his swollen and blackened eyes.

All in an effort to encourage the believers.

And I have to ask myself--what am I doing to encourage another Christian in their walk?

Bruised, knocked down, bloodied, damaged, bumped around, banged up, no matter what I feel I am--am I attempting to strengthen another in their faith?