Are we called to a place or to a pursuit?

“Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, and there they continued to preach the gospel.”  (Acts 14:1-7)

Here are Paul and Barnabas, preaching boldly, being radically effective and moving powerfully in the Holy Spirit.

But the people of the city, both Jews and Gentiles, were divided…and were against them.

This often happens when we are making an impact. People will be divided. The enemy doesn’t like effective proclamation of the Gospel, so opposition will come our way; resistance is to be expected.

What I didn’t expect here is the response of these two—they ran away.

Sometimes we are supposed to die on the hill on which we are standing, like Steven did in Acts 7. But Cam4 other times it’s OK to live to fight another day. Though it shocks me that bold Paul and Barnabas flee from the evil plans of their opponents, their flight doesn’t seem to phase them. They just continue to preach the gospel in another location.

Maybe sometimes we get too wrapped up in our own plans and our perception of how we are making an impact. Though faithfulness and stability are really good things, and much of our growth happens through pain, if the context in which we are serving is killing us, perhaps there is not always dishonor in transition.

Anywhere we go there are people to be served and loved. The gospel needs to be carried everywhere, and unless we are disobeying a direct order from the Lord, getting out of harms way just might be one of the possible methods God could use to get us where we need to be.

Remember, Jesus’ command to “go make disciples of all nations” in Matthew 28 reads something like “as you are going wherever you go, make disciples of all kinds of people and people groups”.  Since the implication is that we will already be going; maybe our calling isn’t always as much to a particular place as it is to a purposeful pursuit wherever we happen to be.

Most times, it’s probably some of both. Where have you found the balance to this tension?