Paul told them so

So today we read from Acts 27:21-44 in the One Year Bible. Paul flat out tells the sailors that he's with, "You should have listened to me in the first place." As I've mentioned in previous blogs, Paul could be a real jerk.

But we live in a time when it's easy to say "I told you so", isn't it? I mean, we are seeing the results, sad as they are, from the sexual revolution. The promiscuity of the 60's and 70's are finding their fruits in the sexual accusations, fluidity, LGBT militancy, and the depression and suicide we see rampant today. It's easy to step back and say, "See? You should have listened to me in the first place." and smugly grin at the destruction around us.

That's not what God is calling us to do. He continues to reach out to the fallen sinners in the world, including you and me. His heart hurts for the broken lives we see all around us, and He desires for us to hurt for them, too. Not to become depressed and to despair, but to have compassion and empathy for those who hurt, and reach out with God's love to make their lives better.

As Paul goes on to say, "Take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as He said." We can anchor our lives firmly in Him, and reach out to the poor souls awash in the sea of moral relativity. We can help them make their lives better in this life, and maybe... hopefully... forever in the life to come.

God, thanks for not giving up on us.