Articles
None of These Things Move Me (Part II)
Paul’s present was no easy street. After his conversion, his heart was
on fire with the force of a rocket blast to preach the Gospel to the lost
(2 Corinthians 5:14; Romans 1:16-17). Yet throughout his ministry, he
faced adversity and disappointments. In 2 Corinthians 11:23- 28, he
recounts imprisonments, beatings, and a variety of other dangers that
would have been enough to send most Christians retreating back into
the world to avoid the persecution. Paul did not allow viciousness,
cowardice, and unfaithfulness on the part of some to weaken his re-
solve. Paul, much like Joshua, was determined to serve the Lord, re-
gardless of what others chose to do (Joshua 24:15). He confronted a
fellow apostle who was embracing error (Galatians 2:11). He chal-
lenged elders who were apparently on the threshold of unfaithfulness
(Acts 20:30). Similar disappointments have been plenty enough to
send preachers back into secular work. I am both impressed with and
encouraged by Paul because he embraced an attitude of faithful com-
mitment that would not allow him to be moved from his faithfulness,
regardless.
Paul’s future looked very grim. In Acts 20, Paul recounts that the Holy
Spirit had made it clear in every city that chains awaited Paul in Jeru-
salem. We know now that Paul was within a few years of the end of
his life. As Paul stood before those elders from Ephesus and ap-
pealed to them for their faithful commitment to Christ and His church,
Paul was peering into his future which was being made clear by divine
revelation. I can only imagine the emotion. Did he have intrusive
thoughts about the benefits of laying down his cause to preserve his
life and ease his hurt? Most of us would have, and many have accept-
ed that alternative. Yet, the power in Paul’s example is that he said,
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy...” What a wonderful
personal mission statement. Perhaps, if we would adopt the same
motto and learn to say that, we will be more inclined to live it when
people disappoint and being a Christian gets difficult.
