Acts 2:1-13
On the day of Pentecost all the Lord's followers were together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there.
The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak. Many religious Jews from every country in the world were living in Jerusalem. And when they heard this noise, a crowd gathered. But they were surprised, because they were hearing everything in their own languages. They were excited and amazed, and said: Don't all these who are speaking come from Galilee? Then why do we hear them speaking our very own languages?
Some of us are from Parthia, Media, and Elam. Others are from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya near Cyrene, Rome, Crete, and Arabia. Some of us were bornJews, and others of us have chosen to be Jews. Yet we all hear them using our own languages to tell the wonderful things God has done.
Everyone was excited and confused. Some of them even kept asking each other, "What does all this mean?" Others made fun of the Lord's followers and said, "They are drunk.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Suppose someone made a sarcastic or playful comment to you about swimming in a pool with sharks, and you didn’t understand. Your response was, “You have a pool?” That would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it?! But so often, we misinterpret what is said or done – not merely out of our own ignorance, but also because of a lack of proper communication or the inflection of someone else’s humor, sarcasm, or personal opinion. And sometimes, we jump to conclusions and make snap judgments. And we do this a lot when it comes to our faith.
So when I read this passage, I was not so focused on the fact that people were speaking in tongues as I was their reaction… and the rapid conclusion by some that the people were drunk. We are no different. We often judge quickly. We assume that someone is a fanatic because of how they speak about certain issues. We decide that others are either weak in their faith – or a lost cause altogether. We write people off because of how they dress, what they drive, and which political camp they favor. We categorize people according to who they select as friends, their personal lifestyle choices, and their economic status.
We don’t truly get to know other people… and often, we don’t truly get to know God. Why would it be out of the realm of possibilities for God to allow a room full of people from different countries to speak in their own language, while we hear them in English or whatever happens to be our native language? We’re talking about the God of the Universe! He can do anything… right? Why must everything be so cut and dried in our faith? Can’t the God who loves each of us as His own precious child love those who think, speak and act differently? Is our faith so “cookie-cutter” that there is no “wiggle room?” And if this is the case, have we removed God’s ability to work in and through each of us by being so rigid?
My challenge for each of us is to stop limiting God. Let’s stop setting up boundaries and jumping to conclusions about other people and situations, just because we may not clearly understand them. When we open our hearts and minds to the possibilities with God… when we allow Him room to work and an open invitation… amazing things can happen, just as they did at Pentecost.
Where have you made snap judgments lately? Where have you limited God? Isn’t it time you let go and let Him have control? Isn’t today a good day to begin?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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