Day 291 "Where We Need To Be and Where We're Neeeded"

 

Passage: Acts 18:26

 

He [Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

 

Devotion:

 

Here we see mentioned again, Priscilla and Aquila who were the friends, confidants, and supporters of Paul. But where do we find them? Were they at home, thinking they already knew everything they needed to know directly from the great teacher himself, Paul -- so why go to church? No, rather they were at the synagogue in the presence of fellow Jews and other believers. That's a really good example for all of us because in the body of believers is where we always need to be.

 

We know that Priscilla and Aquila were important to the church in Ephesus, yet in our passage today, they humbly take a talented and educated preacher under their wing to share with him the complete story of Jesus. What I also like is how they did so. They didn't speak out against him publicly, embarrassing Apollos and disrupting the assembly. Rather, they quietly invited him to their home. I also like the idea that Apollos was teachable despite the fact that he was described previously as "...a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures... instructed in the way of the Lord... [who]  taught about Jesus accurately." I have met many people with fewer credentials than Apollos who are completely unteachable. The willingness to be taught really says a lot about one's heart.

 

Questions to Ponder:

 

There is a lot of good information we can take from our passage today. Here's what we learned from Priscilla and Aquila:

• We need to be and are called to be in the company of other believers (no matter how much we think we know);
• We're needed by the church, although not always in a public capacity (sometimes it's simply through quiet counseling).

 

And from Apollos:

        The willingness to speak boldly and accurately about what we do know;  

        Regardless of our educational background and training, having enough humility to be teachable.

 

Which of these examples speaks the most to you? I what area do you need to improve? Will you begin today?