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“Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.” Acts 17:16

Although I’m abstaining from news (real, fake, deep fake, or otherwise), the 24/7 media bombardment in our society is very challenging to ignore. Especially as global and cultural upheaval continues to escalate the vitriol and division among our nation’s citizens. Unfortunately, the treadmills at my gym face a mounted line of giant televisions, most of which show talking heads spewing babble (which I thankfully cannot hear) with blaring headline banners (which I see) full of doom, threats, and dire warnings. Even the time change this Spring has been fear-mongering fodder: “The loss of one hour of sleep can result in car wrecks, heart attacks, and job loss! Beware!” Crises are everywhere, real or imagined. Today’s media—from news outlets to podcasters to social reels—is not to inform, but to provoke. They want to stir up negative emotion and incite action…to create fodder for even more bad news.

As we follow Paul on his missionary journeys in the book of Acts, the Word of God makes it clear that this world should indeed provoke believers. Just not like modern media would have it. As Paul is waiting in Athens for his fellow missionaries Silas and Timothy to join him there, he got a chance to get a taste of this center of Greek culture. His response (which you can read in its entirety in Acts 17) provides us with a beautiful map for walking in our own cultural hub.

First, Paul saw that the city was full of idols (and idolators). Athens had literal statues along every street, reportedly in more numbers than the actual citizens. The people worshipped these gods-for-every-want, trying to keep them happy so they themselves could be satisfied. They chased after the things of the world and elevated created things. They were blind to the Truth, and Paul saw this. Then, “his spirit was provoked within him” (v16). His awareness of the broken and lost world around him stirred up the Holy Spirit within Paul to see these people as God sees them…people in need of a Savior. And so, he took action. He began reasoning with people in the marketplace and was even brought up to the public courts to further explain his new and strange teaching about the One True God and salvation through Jesus Christ. In Athens, Paul observed the lost, blind, and broken around him. His spirit was provoked. And he responded.

Beloved, we must live a provoked life! Not like the world, being prodded and incited by media outlets to become a keyboard warrior or screaming protestor, but as citizens of heaven who are ambassadors of the King of kings. Do we see the madness around us for what it really is—a lost, broken world full of lost, broken people? We must open our eyes to see what God sees! Then, the Holy Spirit living in us will reveal His grief to us, stirring us up to be grieved as well. The biggest question follows: Will we take action? Will we merely acknowledge that the world—and people—around us are fallen, maybe feel a twinge of “they need Jesus”…and simply go on about our day? Or will we, like Paul, reason with them and share the Good News? (Um, preaching to myself here with much chagrin.)

Time is short, and the enemy has ramped up his efforts to steal, kill, and destroy—again, just look around. We are called to always be ready to answer others, giving a “reason for our hope” with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:14-16). And we’re to exhort one another “as long as it is called today” against the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13), calling the lost to repentance and salvation (Mark 1:15; Acts 3:17-21; 1 John 1:9). So, let us all be kingdom-minded, yielded to the stirrings of the Holy Spirit within us. And may we take action, sharing the Way, Truth, and Life that is Jesus.

“Lord, open my eyes to see what You see. Provoke the Spirit in me and make me a bold ambassador for You—inviting the spiritually lame, blind, and lost into Your glorious kingdom.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life