Today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 8:26-40) is often used as an example for witnessing to a foreigner or a Gentile. However, I personally believe that this passage is also about being open to where the Holy Spirit is leading us.
We hear about a “Eunuch” which means bed keeper. Eunuchs, during that time, were the lowest of the low mainly because of the services they did for the King or Queen. They were considered cheap labor and could be killed or replaced easily. This particular eunuch was taking care of the Queen’s treasury, and he had access to the scriptures but was waiting for someone to teach and explain to him what the scriptures meant. God had already prepared the heart of the Eunuch, but he used Philip to save his soul.
And that’s often the case with us as well. God will often lead us to people who are completely different from us who are in need of our help. In this reading, Philip was led by the Holy Spirit to an Ethiopian Eunuch. This means that he was asked to cross the boundaries of culture and nationality. Clearly, Philip didn’t show any hesitancy in responding to the Holy Spirit. So what does this mean for us? Do we truly believe that the Gospel is the most important truth which makes all other “differences” such as skin color, nationality, or social status, completely insignificant? Unfortunately, we tend to focus on the outer personality and appearance of others. But I believe that God brings different kinds of people from various cultures and backgrounds into our lives to help us understand the true message of the Gospel: to challenge us to reach out to those who are very different from us.
When God asked Philip to reach out to this foreigner, it seemed like he was being sidetracked from his primary calling or ministry. But that’s not the case at all. This was his calling – and it’s ours as well. This scripture teaches us that we need to be open to what God has planned for us. We need to realize that things don’t always go according to our plans. We need to accept the fact that we are not in charge. We need to be open to where the Spirit may lead us.
Maybe some of us have a very narrow focus of serving God. Maybe some of us don’t want to venture out of our comfort zone and risk taking on new challenges. Maybe some of us are struggling with societal fears and stereotypes about those who are different than us. These are the things that keep us from meeting God in our sisters and brothers. We must be open to where the Spirit may lead us and not be afraid; for God is with us every step of the way.
I pray that God teaches all of us how to be flexible and be ready to be led by the Spirit no matter where that might be. I pray that we are not so consumed in the day-to-day activities of our ministry that we forget to see others for who they really are: individuals made in the image and likeness of God. And I pray that we are open to change so that the Holy Spirit may lead us into new adventures in serving others so that we can proclaim the good news to all we encounter.
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