Friday 21, August 2026

One law of physics states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Some situations, however, seem guaranteed to have disastrous consequences.

That meeting between the apostles and religious leaders of the day is one such. The accusations Peter levelled at them, albeit true, were harsh and devalued the religious leaders. It was inflammatory enough to incur violence, unless the religious leaders were convinced by Peter’s speech. How did they react, and was it warranted? We see what happened next with Today’s Holy Nougat

Acts 5:33 CEVDCI

[33] When the council members heard this, they became so angry they wanted to kill the apostles.

The Response

I don’t know about you, but I sensed this response coming once we began exploring Peter’s undiluted gospel. It is true, Peter didn’t mince his words or whitewash the truth. He called a spade a spade. And it was a truth that the religious leaders needed to hear. However, it was sharp. Offensive even, and the religious leaders were incensed. They were ready to kill the apostles. Sometimes zeal has negative consequences.

Self-Check

Have we been in situations where our zeal sparked retaliation rather than conversion? Has someone’s passion in a situation felt like a personal attack rather than their conviction? How did we respond?

Digging Deeper

Even as we seek to keep the gospel message undiluted, we ought to be conscious that there is a spiritual faction that is all about reprisal. The enemy of our souls is not open to hearing God’s Word shared with others. In our awareness that the devil seeks to undermine the Gospel message, it is incumbent on us to guard our presentation. Not because we are trying to compromise our faith. Rather, because we want the message to be heard and transform lives positively.

Often sharing the Gospel requires that we discern our audience. It may be that they are strangers, but the One Whom we represent knows their hearts. In 2 Samuel 12, we recall that Nathan used a parable to confront David about Bathsheba and Uriah. As God’s prophet, he did not dilute the truth, but he prepared David for the truth. He reduced the chance for reprisal.

We must also ensure that when the devil seeks to justify cause for reprisal, there is none. For some of us, that requires discipline and tact. [I can totally relate, as I am not always very tactful.] As we seek to share Christ with others, we might need to remind ourselves that we are serving Christ, not self, and ask Him to intervene in our presentation. God’s Spirit will then complete the good work begun through us.

Point to Ponder

God calls us as we are, transforms us, and the transformation also becomes the message for others.

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May all we seek be found in Christ