Like seriously..... how cool is that?
Brings me back to an amazing race episode where the contestants were in a temple of some sort, they were supposed to preform a ritual that was NOT worshiping the idols and some Christians withdrew from the race because they couldn't do it. I remember thinking at the time... I wouldn't have been able to do it either. It gave all the appearances of worshipping an idol, so it would have been a challenge to see it in any other way. So "the spirit" within those contestants was provoked as well and they responded the only way they could.
So here is Paul... surrounded by idols, provoked in his spirit because of them, and he found a very kind way of saying hey folks.... let me tell you what you are missing.
The people listened, not all as there will always be mockers, but some did.
Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, "We will hear you again about this." 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
It does me.
It makes me wish I could do that more often. Take something that a person is interested in, or that is a part of who they are, and expound upon in a biblical fashion that is kind and reaches their hearts and minds.
I feel so often I just fail at this.
It's so easy to be judgmental and bothered.
It's not so easy to think... how can this be a stepping stone to reaching folks for Christ.
Paul would have needed to spend time looking at those idols until he found the one "to the unknown god".
And then he would have needed to be open to the Lord's prompting on how to use that.
Paul was a man who sought after God.
And perhaps that's the key you know... to using culture. To be a person who seeks so much after God that seeing things as he does becomes easier.
Keeps one from being judgmental and closed to using the culture of people to help them see God more clearly.
Oh... that i could know God more.