From today’s reading...
Then he began to hustle them out of the court, and at once they all turned on Sosthenes, the synagogue president, and beat him in front of the tribunal. Gallio refused to take any notice at all.” Acts 18:16-17
Paul received a vision from the Lord that he would be safe in the town of Corinth, so he should be bold in speaking out, which he did for 18 months.
As you might imagine, this got under the skin of slick law-lovers of the Jewish community who conspired to make life uncomfortable for Paul by hauling him before Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia, but he wasn’t having any of that.
Gallio told them he didn’t spend time worrying about or ruling on matters of their faith and kicked them out.
So the letter-of-the-law-loving losers did what they all do when their evil plans are thwarted: they turned inward and ate their own because all they know is power.
They use the letter of the law to control others, to hold onto power, and to make their lives more comfortable.
We see it in the actions—or inaction—of Gallio, who was literally responsible for law and order in the land. Because it made his life more comfortable, he turned a blind eye to the infighting of the “lowly Jews.”
Be like Paul. “‘Be fearless; speak out and do not keep silence: I am with you” (Acts 18:9b-10a).
The snakes will always be in the grass, hiding in the shadows, under rocks, and in the weeds, plotting their attacks, which is all the more reason to...
Stay the course.
Keep the faith.
Endure.
Now go sell something.
