Should we avoid sinful people or engage sinful people?

I read Acts 22 this afternoon. It is a continuation of Paul's return to Jerusalem. Chapter 21 ends with Paul being dragged out of the Temple and being beaten by an angry mob (sounds like another day at the office for Paul). Paul is temporarily rescued by the Roman soldiers, who want this mob to disband. As the soldiers are carrying Paul to safety, he asks for permission to address the crowd/angry mob. The soldiers agree and Paul speaks to his fellow Jews.

Paul tells his story. In the church, people call your story a "testimony." It is a short account of your life that tells how you were before you met Christ, how you received Christ, and how Christ has changed your life. Every Christian has a testimony...and it can be a powerful way to share your faith journey with people.

In fact, this angry mob was willing to listen to Paul's story. It is hard for me to imagine that they went from violent gang to engaged listeners in the matter of minutes. Unfortunately, the mob was stirred once again by something Paul said.

I guess I wasn't surprised that an already angry mob would react to Paul's story, but I was surprised by what element of Paul's story enraged them once more.

I mean it wasn't the Jesus part of Paul's story that incited the crowd. In fact, they listened calmly as Paul told about his days as a persecutor of Jesus' followers, his blinding encounter with a resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus, and his life changing assignment from Jesus. No one objected to these parts of his story.

It is only when Paul mentioned that Jesus was sending him to the Gentiles (non-Jewish people) that the crowd reacted. I don't believe "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!" is the reaction that Paul was hoping to generate.

So why was this so upsetting to the Jewish audience? I guess there are a lot of reasons, but I think it reveals a prejudice that still resides within people today. I find that people have a difficult time reaching out to or accepting people different from themselves. It is hard for people to engage others that they might have previously considered "outsiders," "evil," or "dangerous." That is one of the realities of religion- it does create categories of people- insiders versus outsiders, good versus evil, and safe versus dangerous.

However, Jesus came to make peace between God and all people- Jew and Gentile, religious and non-religious, "good" and "bad"...whatever. Unfortunately, some of those distinctions are hard for people to overcome. We like people to come to Jesus, but we like people who are like us to come to Jesus.

Sometimes Christians seek to isolate themselves from "outsiders" because we think they are dangerous. I guess that means we think they will have a greater negative influence on us than the positive influence we can have on them. There is wisdom in not "flirting" with temptation; however, Christians must not abandon our responsibility to be in the world- reaching out to those who are far away from Christ.

I am reminded that Jesus prayed for us, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one...As You sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world" (John 17:15,18).

He prays that we will be protected, but it is not from the people we are called to reach. He prays that we will be protected from the evil one- our true enemy. People, whether they are "bad" or "outsiders," are not our enemy. No, those are the people we are to love...be moved with compassion for...to seek. Our enemy is the devil-not people, no matter what their spiritual condition is at the moment. Their condition will not change without Christ, and they will not know Christ unless we go to them.

Paul says it like this in his letter to the Colossians, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity" (Col.4:5). Paul views "outsiders" as people and an opportunity to embrace- not one to be avoided and isolated from.

How are you being wise in the way you act toward outsiders...how are you making the most of your opportunities to engage an "outsider"?

Jesus, thank you for giving us the ultimate example of One who was willing to engage true outsiders. Thank you for taking the initiative to enter our sinful world...to go after sinful people who weren't even looking for you...and offering the supreme sacrifice to bring all people (including me) back to God. Empower me to follow Your example.