Living to Preach Another Day

July 9

(Acts 14:6-7 NIV) “But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, {7} where they continued to preach the good news.”

(Matthew 9:36-38 NIV) ““When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. {37} Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. {38} Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.””

(Galatians 6:9 NIV) “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Paul and Barnabas became aware of a plot to kill them, and they fled. They did this more than once in their ministry, but they were never silenced by fear -- they just took the gospel message somewhere else. When we meet resistance, it is not wrong to move on, but it is wrong to stop sharing the truth. Many Christians have been intimidated into becoming a “silent witness”, which usually translates into “no witness at all”. We go to church on Sunday, we go home, we go to work, and when we die people read our obituary and say, “Wow, I didn’t know he was a Christian.” There is nothing wrong with being prudent, but it is wrong to quit. Paul and Barnabas moved on, but they moved on for the purpose of living to preach another day. Do not become weary in doing what is right. The fields are ripe for the harvest. The work can be dangerous, but it is our calling. Don’t quit! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day