A Man Speaks

The man on the corner street shouts to us to repent. On a certain date, the world will end. Well, he is partially correct. Not everyone can hear him or want to listen to him. City traffic, crowded streets, and people talking on their phones drown out the shouting man on the curb. At other times the same corner on the same street, another man shouts out his claims of prophecy or cries out a long list of our inhumanity to others. The list is long. A mob is intent on shouting him down.

Here’s a man – Paul, by name; let’s get him a box to stand on at a street corner and see what happens.

At another time and another place, Paul stood and proclaimed that he was on trial for his hope in the resurrection of the dead. Paul had no friends in the room except for a few Pharisees present. And it was a mob ready to rip him apart for his beliefs.

Would we even dare to stand up and shout the good news to a crowd going into their places of business or to a sporting event? We would be mocked with insults, and maybe some in the crowd would shout an “Amen.” Nevertheless, we are out of our comfort zone.

But some things just have to be done. We are all gifted in some way to be proclaimers of the good news. Stories about Paul have the grit and tenacity to carry on regardless of any difficulties. If we channel Paul into our lives, we can write, think, and talk our way into the message. Then comes the wisdom of knowing what to do.

We and others will benefit from our conversion and approach a complex world in which to navigate with courage.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, Your wisdom is a kindly spirit that will not accept the profanity of your word. Witness my inmost self; observe my heart; listen to my tongue when I proclaim your word. May I be a true voice for you, my God. (adapted from Wisdom 1:6)