Speak for yourself
by Jonathan Krause
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Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You have permission to speak for yourself’ (Acts 26:1a).
Read Acts 26:1–23
I sometimes get a bit grumpy with Paul. Yes, his ministry is amazing. His conversion is a miracle. His suffering for his faith is immense. That’s not what I get grumpy about.
It’s his way with words. Read a verse or two of Romans or his response to King Agrippa here, and straight away, you can see Paul has a lot to say. And he can say it in a way that those of us who stumble over words or wrestle with shyness can only admire. (Or get grumpy at!)
Speak for yourself.
What an invitation! When was the last time you had someone ask you to share what you believe or sit across the table from you and listen as you declared what’s in and on your heart?
Doesn’t happen too often, does it?
And if you did receive that invitation, what would you say? Where would you start?
Perhaps you could look to Paul for guidance. But when I do, I feel like a tongue-tied nincompoop instead. Paul argues the case for faith in a logical, precise, well-reasoned way. He quotes history with authority, shares his Boys’ Own story of the blinding light on the road to Damascus and provides the classic before and after story of his transformation.
Not all of us have such rich stories to share or the confidence to speak them out loud, let alone in the court of a king.
So, what do we do?
Right about here, I could give you the stock phrase to pray, and it will all turn out all right. That’s true, but perhaps it may also make it too easy. I know it does for me. If I did only that when preparing a chapel for school, a message for church or a presentation for Australian Lutheran World Service, I think I’d fall in a heap.
Instead, I read and research, prepare, practise, explore and edit …
… Then get utterly nervous and spend more time in the loo than looking forward to sharing!
So, please forgive me for getting grumpy with Paul. I hope you may extend as much grace to me when asked to ‘speak for yourself’ as God does with us all.
Father, when I read about Paul, I sometimes feel very small and lowly. Help me instead to be inspired and excited about what you can do in the lives of people like me. Amen.
Jonathan lives south of Adelaide with his wife Julie. Blessed by children and grandchildren, Jonathan enjoys reading and writing, walking by the beach and watching Collingwood win. Author of many devotion books, Jonathan is the Community Action Manager for Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS).
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