Look at Me! Look at Me!

It astounds me the things churches do for attention. They might build a giant Jesus statue or a giant cross, they might go through a sermon series on sex and look for media attention, they might get billboards (this is even attempted by those anti-church churches) to intrigue motorists, they might offer $500 to the person who happens to sit in the lucky seat, they shock or scare or dazzle or beg or pay people to pay attention. As time goes by, it seems like they get more and more drastic in their attempts to get people's attention. There is nothing new under the sun.

Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest. He told everyone. In many ways, this can be seen as a cry for attention.

The prophets came and they set up their altar. Then they proceeded to more and more drastically call for Baal to answer them. They called. They shouted. They danced. They cut themselves with swords and spears. They bled. They became frantic.

"But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention."

People didn't want to hear empty words. They didn't want to see pointless actions.

They wanted something real. They wanted action. They wanted change.

They still do.

Turning the other Cheek

"They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name."

Flogging => Rejoicing.

Now, I'm no expert on flogging, but rejoicing was certainly not the intended result. Either the guards seriously messed up their job, or there was something very different about these men.

I want their attitude. I want to rejoice in the suffering I endure (that is so much less than what they went through). I want to relish the opportunity to be called out, to be persecuted, to suffer.

But, I don't. I work to not be persecuted, to fit in, to be accepted. It seems like that is what I should do to attract people and spread Jesus' love.