Insanity
By Grant Gaines
If you agree with Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity—“Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”—then you would have to conclude that the apostle Paul was insane.
Just consider Paul’s record of difficulties as he describes it in 1 Corinthians 11:24-27 (NIV), “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.” And yet despite all of these trials, troubles, and tribulations, Paul continued to go out day after day and do the very same thing that caused all of this heartache—share the Gospel.
But 1 Corinthians 11 does not begin to reveal the depth of Paul’s insanity when you compare it to Acts 16:6-10. In this little four verse passage we find Paul and his companions going out on a mission trip—surprise, surprise. On the onset of the journey, Paul began to lead the group towards Asia when some unexpected turbulence derails his plans. No, Paul and company were not bombarded with stones, insults, or opposition from the Jews or Gentiles, they were actually stopped by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:6)!
“Alright,” Paul thought to himself, “We’ll just go somewhere else to spread the Good News.” And so the group began to make their way to Mysia. But as Acts 16:7 (NIV, italics mine) tells it, “When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.”
Now obviously there is the question of “Why would the Holy Spirit not allow Paul to share the Gospel in these regions?”, but that’s not what I want to focus on today. What I want to look at is Paul’s determination, or as Einstein would describe it, Paul’s insanity.
Paul was on his way to spread the Gospel in Asia when, wham, the door was slammed in his face. So what did he do? He got back up and tried to share the Gospel in Mysia when, wham, another door was shut in his face. So what did Paul do? He got back up and tried to share the Gospel again…this time with success as he entered Macedonia.
I’ve heard it said that we will immediately know who Paul is when we get to heaven because we will recognize him by his smooshed nose—he was so consumed with preaching the Gospel that even the Holy Spirit had to close some doors in his face!
I wonder how many of us have a similar story. How many of us would rebound, as Paul did, after having a door slammed in our face when trying to share the Gospel? Or what about having two doors slammed in our face, how many of us would be ready for round three? But that’s what Paul did—despite his recent failures (if you can call them that) Paul was, in the words of Albert Einstein, insane enough to believe that if he did the same things over and over again, he would get different results. Paule was just crazy enough to believe that when Jesus told us that our number one mission on earth as His followers was to make His name known to others, he actually meant it.
And so Paul shared the Gospel, and then shared the Gospel, and then shared the Gospel some more. Paul did not give up when the door was closed in his face, rather he kept trying other doors until he eventually found the open door where God wanted him to be.
And we get the idea that Paul was not denied the opportunity to share the Gospel in only these two occasions listed in the book of Acts because in Colossians 4:3 (NIV) Paul requests that the church in Colossi pray for him, “…that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ….” There you have it again, Paul praying and pleading for an open door to share the Gospel.
Does this describe you and your desire to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others? Romans 12:11 (NIV) commands us to, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep [our] spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Paul was not a superhuman or some holy deity (1 Corinthians 15:9 and Ephesians 3:8), he was simply a man who was willing to be used by the Holy Spirit.
You know, that’s all God is looking for today. He’s not waiting for you to get your seminary degree, to get married, or to get your life under control before He uses you. In fact, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NLT) teaches quite the opposite, “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things that counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.”
All God is looking for is a willing heart that doesn’t mind being called insane because of their relentless approach to sharing the Gospel no matter how many setbacks they may face along the way. Do you have the type of heart that God is looking for?
“…What [Jesus] opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open. I [Jesus] know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My Word and have not denied My Name.”
– Revelation 3:7-8 (NIV)
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
©Grant Gaines 2013
