When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, 21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. 25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.
I play a little game when I drive a certain quarter-mile stretch between our house and our Monday, Wednesday, and Friday workout. Two roads come together for that stretch and those who turn left onto that part of the road often want to make a right turn at the other end of that short stretch of road. The problem is that there are two left turn lanes and only one right turn lane. Many times people in the left lane want to get over to the right lane so they can make the right turn. My little game is that I’ll always give way to anyone who turns on his turn signal indicating a desire to merge in front of me. It might be a bit petty, and sometimes I’ve been known to need to merge right as well. I’m always glad when someone lets me in.
I could to on about how that is an object lesson about prayer. God is glad to answer our prayers if only we will ask. But of course God is far more gracious than that. “Before they call I will answer,” he promises. “While they are yet speaking I will hear,” God says. (Isaiah 65:24) Yes, God is far more gracious than I am.
But there is another manner in which my merging example instructs us. As brothers and sisters in Christ, there are times we need to give way to another. Sometimes it comes as a simple request. Someone asks us to help out with a difficult task. We let go of our own time table and lend a hand. It could be we are asked to stop doing something that disturbs another sister or brother. We don’t demand to continue that activity. We don’t drink in front of a person who struggles with alcohol addiction. We don’t insist on playing loud music if it disturbs our neighbor – brother or sister in Christ or not.
Sometimes the stakes are even higher. Paul undertakes obedience to an Old Testament ritual for the sake of not causing offense. In 1 Corinthians 9:20, he reminds the people there, “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.” This was especially important for them because of their schismatic party spirit and their unwillingness to give way to one another in Christian love.
We may want to claim our lane and avoid letting someone in. But God calls us to give way for the sake of Christian love, and as a show of true humility. Paul was willing to do this for he had experienced the grace of God so richly and wanted people to know it so fully. How about us? Have we experienced the grace of God richly? Do we want people to know it fully? Give way!
David Bahn - Reflections 