December 13

Acts 20-23
As Paul makes his way toward Jerusalem, he is warned numerous times of the danger awaiting his arrival.  However, he was intent on going.  At one point, he is convinced to perform certain rites to appease the Jews.  Yet, even this was not enough.  They simply refused to believe his message, and they wanted to silence him.  Of course, we know that this was all part of God’s plan to get Paul to Rome, so that he would be able to proclaim the good news even more.  But, I believe there is a message here for those of us who are seeking to promote the truth.  In his desire for peace, Paul compromised with his detractors to no avail.  While peace should always be a goal, compromise is not always a good vehicle to get there.  Truth is powerful, and it doesn’t really need our help.  Truth can stand on its own.  There will always be those who will reject the truth, but that doesn’t negate our obligation to stand firm in the truth.  Don’t misunderstand me.  I’m not saying that Paul was compromising the truth.  What I am saying is that there will always be those who are intent on discord, and no amount of compromise will ever stop them.  Thus, whether we suffer persecution or not, we must continue to stand, as Paul did, for the truth.