We’ve all seen cleverly worded bumper stickers and T-shirts which contain humorous messages. And most of us have worked for bad bosses or companies at some point in our lives. Combining these two thoughts, one of the best T-shirt messages I’ve ever read was:
“The beatings will continue until morale improves!”
This is especially clever if you’ve ever worked for one of the afore-mentioned bad companies. What a ridiculous concept-more beatings to improve morale! But then, I realized there actually does exist such a scenario in Scripture:
“His (the teacher Gamaliel) speech persuaded them (the Sadducees). They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not so speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles eft the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” [Acts 5:40-42]
Here we can presume that these beaten and disgraced apostles, now filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, recalled the prophesy of Jesus:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.“ [John 16:33]
An argument could be made that the spread of Christianity might have ‘died in its tracks’ had the apostles been persuaded to no longer speak in the name of Jesus. That would have changed everything. But instead, despite the flogging (a very painful punishment, to be sure), they left the temple rejoicing, their morale at new heights. What a response!
In our lives, at times we may get figuratively flogged. Embarrassed at school. Shunned at work. Disrespected for having the nerve to say you believe in and follow Jesus. May I suggest that your response might change everything. For someone.
Blessings,
Keith