Acts 22:1-2
[Paul said:] “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defence.” When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.
Paul faced intense hostility when he reached Jerusalem. People had heard reports of his ministry among the Gentiles, and he was accused of telling people to disobey the Jewish laws. A riot broke out and the crowd demanded that Paul should be killed. The commander of the Roman regiment was informed that the city was in uproar, so he sent his troops to get hold of Paul. After some confusion, Paul asked the military commander for the opportunity to speak to the crowd and, interestingly, he agreed.
This was an incredibly sensitive moment. Many in the crowd were going to hate what Paul had to say, and he knew it. He needed to tread with extreme care. He began by addressing them as brothers and fathers, the same way in which Stephen had commenced his final speech. But what really impressed them was that he spoke in Aramaic, their own language. That showed great sensitivity, and the crowd gave him their full attention. Paul launched into his testimony. He went into the details of his conversion on the road to Damascus and his calling to go and share the good news with the Gentiles. This triggered a huge reaction, and the crowd shouted that he wasn’t fit to live.
Paul wouldn’t have been remotely surprised by the crowd’s reaction, but he had achieved what he set out to do. However, he would never have had that opportunity if he hadn’t approached his task with care and sensitivity.
Question
What do you learn from Paul’s example?
Prayer
Lord, help me to be as courageous and sensitive as Paul in sharing my testimony with others. Amen
