STIRRED-UP INFLUENTIAL RELIGIOUS WOMEN (INCITER)

ACTS 13:45, 50

45-But when some of the Jews saw the crowds, they were JEALOUS; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever he said.

50-Then the Jews STIRRED UP the INFLUENTIAL RELIGIOUS WOMEN and the leaders of the city and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town.

STIRRED UP INFLUENTIAL RELIGIOUS WOMEN–what is the first image you see in your mind upon hearing that title?  I can tell you mine is SCARY and I’m a little sweaty just thinking about this rowdy bunch of verbose ladies!  I see pointing fingers, condescending smirks, head wagging, hands on hips, death stares, pacing, and “hand talking”.  I hear raised voices, sarcastic tones, big theological words, foot steps pacing back and forth, heavy sighs, pious platitudes, and persuasive arguments.  I smell expensive perfume and hairspray ( now don’t go accusing me of stereotyping – I’m just being honest with my answer to the question at hand:)  I keep envisioning Hilly from the movie “The Help” as the leader of this elitist feminine crowd!  

Upon reading this passage in Acts 13, you clearly see how jealousy led to slandering and arguing.  Jealousy is a miserable state and since “misery loves company” , the “stirring-up” began!  Give a busybody a “cause” coupled with powerful people and you have dynamite to INCITE A MOB!  Emotionally charged chicks with influence (but no GRACE) have a history of pot stirring, which leads to division!  All this to say, we women have a choice!  ( I know, I know, men have a choice too! I am just a woman and it’s these stirred up women that caught my attention; so today I’m talking about women!  Don’t go legalistic on me:)

Do we want to be town gossips, shaking a rule book and running people off?

Do we want to be known only for what we are against?

Do we seek fancy titles and seats of honor?

Do we incite the mobs to join our agendas?

OR

do we choose a different way?  

We all influence our community, whether we like it or not.  If we don’t want to be an INCITER (influencing others to act out maliciously), may I propose that we be INVITERS instead! (I think I am making up words, but who cares.  It’s my blog and these new words totally make sense-that’s a joke-LOL-haha) An INVITER influences the community to be inclusive!  An INVITER has a way of wooing you to “Come and see” for yourself!  INVITERS are literally the opposite of STIRRED UP INFLUENTIAL RELIGIOUS WOMEN!  

I will now define my new word INVITER: a stirred (one who is moved) woman who influences by erasing lines of division and cherishing relationships, over religion and status quo! (BOOM-PUT THAT IN YOUR DICTIONARY:)

STIRRED INFLUENTIAL RELATIONAL WOMEN:  In light of this new awesome title, what is the first image you see in your mind?  I can tell you mine is SWEET and I am smiling just thinking about this humble bunch of wise women.  I see “greeter fingers” ushering us in, warm smiles, nods of affirmation, open arms, smiley eyes, side-by-side walking and more listening (less talking).  I hear gentle voices, sympathetic tones, words that connect hearts, empathetic sighs, sincere conversations and vulnerability.  I smell merged perfumes because of all the hugging and some sweat because of all the serving!  Since “The Help” keeps coming to mind, I can’t help (pun intended:) but envision Skeeter or Aibileen, as the servant leaders of this inclusive feminine crowd!

When I think INVITER, there is one women who takes the cake!  We don’t know her name but we know the guest of honor WHOM she invites her town to meet.  HIS NAME IS JESUS-THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES!   John 4 recounts the familiar story of the woman at the well.  After she encounters Jesus, she is so “stirred” (moved) that she “drops her pot” and runs home to influence her whole community with a simple INVITATION:

John 4:28-30

28-Then, leaving her water jug, the woman went back to the town and said to the people,

29-“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.  Could this be the Messiah?

30-“They came out of the town and made their way toward HIM.”

Give a”disgraced” girl a touch of “GRACE” coupled with a captivated community and you have a divine spark INVITING A TOWN TO SALVATION!  Emotionally charged chicks with influence PLUS GRACE have a history of “pot dropping”( remember she left her water jug in verse 28:) which leads to unity!  She INVITED her whole town to know Christ and they accepted the invitation!  

I CHOOSE TO BE AN INVITER AND NOT AN INCITER!  

THUS I DECLARE:

I WANT TO BE THE TOWN GOSSIP OF THE GOSPEL

I WANT TO SHARE THE BIBLE THROUGH WORD AND DEED 

I WANT TO WELCOME PEOPLE IN-THEY WILL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE BY OUR LOVE!

I WANT TO BE KNOWN BY WHAT I AM FOR-SEEKING JUSTICE, LOVING MERCY AND WALKING HUMBLY WITH MY GOD

I WANT TO MAKE MUCH OF CHRIST WITH MY LIFE AND HUMBLY SERVE, FULL OF THE SPIRIT,  WITH JESUS IN HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE OF HONOR AT THE RIGHT HAND OF HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN!

I WANT TO INVITE THE WORLD TO KNOW THE ONE TRUE GOD AND JESUS CHRIST WHOM HE SENT!

This has been the funnest blog to write!!! I pray it encourages you to EXTEND OPEN INVITATIONS WITH YOUR LIFE!  Allow yourself to be STIRRED ( Moved by AMAZING GRACE once again!) And once stirred, influence the world around you to:

“COME AND SEE A MAN”… HE IS THE MESSIAH!

GO GOD

Some of the INVITERS in my life!