Adulation to Antagonism. Acts 14.

As Paul and Barnabas were delivering the good news to the people of Lystra, they encountered a man who couldn't walk, but who had faith enough to be healed. Paul spoke the words that put that faith into action, and he was healed. As a result, the people of Lystra thought Paul and Barnabas were gods come down to earth. Paul tried to talk them out of this understanding, and eventually he did. Barely.

Even by saying these things, they scarcely persuaded the crowds not to offer sacrifice to them. But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and after winning the crowds over, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, presuming him to be dead. (Acts 14:18,19 NET)

The wild adulation toward Paul and Barnabas quickly turned into deadly antagonism. Heroes become villians when the passion we invest in them is disappointed. Sometimes, it's because of what those heroes do -- the celebrity downfall, the fall from grace. Sometimes it's because those heroes aren't really who we think they are, and when we discover that, we realize they're not really heroes. But primarily, it's because our adulation is misplaced.

God let us know about this pretty early on -- commandments one and two are all about getting our worship focused in the right place -- on Him. The last thing Paul and Barnabas wanted was to be worshipped. The last thing the crowd wanted, was to have their passion thwarted. The Jews who were stalking Paul and Barnabas found an opening in that thwarted passion, and turned the crowd against Paul and Barnabas.

This theme runs all through the Old Testament -- false idols receiving undeserved worship. Our own culture provides us with many heroes, celebrities, and (American) idols. The best example we have of this phenomenon is the change that takes place during the few days between Palm Sunday, and the crucifixion of Jesus. He was greeted like a king, then condemned as a criminal, by the people who couldn't accept Him for Who He was, but wanted Him to be made in the image of their expectation.

What did you see in the reading today?