Empowering

God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. (1 Corinthians 1:9-11 NIV)

When Paul wrote his letters to the Corinthians, we often read them and say, “Wow, they had a lot of problems in that church!”  I’d like to look at this church through a different perspective, though.  Look at how the church got started.  Paul tried to reach out to the Jews in the area, but they were ready to run him out of town.

But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." (Acts 18:6 NIV)

Paul turned to the Gentiles in the area and they responded differently than the Israelites.  They responded positively and were empowered by God.

Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized. (Acts 18:7-8 NIV)

How about you?  When people try to share God with you, how do you respond?  Do you try to run them out of town like the Israelites did, or do you respond positively like the Gentiles did?