"And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth." Acts 23:1-2
I love Paul's authenticity. His face is impassioned as he earnestly pleads before the council, claiming a clear conscience before God. I imagine that if the council had looked in his eyes they would have sensed that he honestly believed what he was saying. But it was to brash for them: how could somebody, especially a blasphemer who had just brought a city into chaos, claim a clear conscience?
"Smite him on the mouth" said the High Priest, and the man standing next to Paul in the courtroom did exactly that. Did it matter though?
No. The pain was insignificant: humiliation was the goal. But Paul had nothing to be humiliated by. He didn't care what the crowds or the council thought of him. He had a clear conscience before God, and God was his only awareness. He knew that he would answer to no other power besides God.
Often we are hurt by people and circumstances that shouldn't affect us. Someone says something, and we take it personally. We aren't invited to an event, and think that people are ignoring us. What if they are? Does it really matter? Do they owe us anything? Maybe you think they do, maybe you did something for them once. Why didn't you do it for Christ? Just because they benefitted from your labor doesn't mean you labored just for them, you could have done it for Christ.
The majority of things in life don't matter. They aren't eternal and they are nothing to God. Your house. Your car. Your position. Your recognition.
Who cares what people say at your retirement or funeral? Is that the judgment seat of Christ? Let's get a singular eye that judges value the way God judges value, not the way the world does. And when the world misjudges you and gives you less than you deserve, praise God that you are counted worthy to suffer for His sake!
(This Muse was taken from the May 1, 2010 devotional blog post on tomboonstra.com.)
