Who am I to think that I can stand in God’s way?
Acts 11:1-26
When reading this passage, one section in particular is striking to me, and, in my opinion, really hits home the message of this passage. Verses 16 and 17 read “Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”
The resounding question at the end of verse 17 seems to ring in my ears in a visceral manner: “Who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” How often do I cling to antiquated habits, rhythms, and customs, instead of embracing God’s callings and purpose for me? If I’m honest with myself, it certainly happens often. Admittedly, it often feels comfortable to cling to patterns of familiarity instead of taking a leap of faith to follow the path that God lays out in front of me.
Furthermore, it seems all too easy to fall into the posture of the circumcised believers in this passage who criticize Peter for associating with the Gentiles. As humans, we often feel a pressure to maintain some illusive social image by being selective with those we associate with. However, Jesus certainly calls us to not just respect all, but to actively serve and love all. In a modern day application, I think Jesus would be calling us to actively show love for the people who we spar with over political beliefs, the people who wrong us, the people who are deemed as a nuisance to the public, and even the people who commit injustices.
How can we combine these ideas about embracing God’s will and loving all our human counterparts well? I think that God calls us to love bravely – to love in a way that involves putting ourselves out there, getting uncomfortable, and even potentially looking stupid. Surely, Peter received ridicule for drawing the Gentiles in by baptizing them. Undeniably, it took bravery to include the Gentiles in this way and to defend that decision. However, this is exactly the kind of work God is calling us to.
How can I love bravely as I move throughout the world? Who am I to think that I can stand in God’s way?