Acts 22:27-28 English Standard Version

27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”

Paul spoke truly but did not tell all the truth, at least not yet. He was also a citizen of the Kingdom of God. In these verses we see that the Roman Tribune bought his citizenship in Rome with a great price. If Paul could witness to this man about citizenship within the Kingdom of God, the tribune would have understood that someone else paid the price for that citizenship that no one can afford with earthly tributes.

Acts 23:11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”

Now Paul is told what his new mission will be, to preach in Rome.

Acts 24:24-27 English Standard Version

24 After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.” 26 At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him. 27 When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

Felix would have set Paul free for a bribe but that would not get Paul sent to Rome, so Paul waited patiently for God to change his circumstances. His trust in God came because Paul was a citizen of that Kingdom first and Rome second.

Acts 26:27-32 English Standard Version

27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”[a] 29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.” 30 Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. 31 And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Paul’s witness did not convince Agrippa. If it had, Paul would not have been sent to Rome to fulfill the will of God. 

Romans 15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Recently my accountability partner posted a letter about how scriptures can convict us. Today I find myself experiencing that very thing.

I am not being a good neighbor. I have allowed our personal struggles to be an excuse to not be known to our new neighbors. We have been here just over 3 years and I don’t even know their names.

Dementia, heart disease and diabetes are not good reasons to be unfriendly. I wave and that is about the extent of my being neighborly. So I have to ask myself with all honesty why I don’t want to be known. This isn’t about them, it is about me.

It appears to me that I am using what we are going through as an excuse to keep people at a safe distance. They have lives of their own and they have not reached out to me either.

Is this where we are today, keeping our neighbors at a safe comfortable distance where we do not take the opportunity to be good.

What does it mean to be good?

Luke 18:19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

Given that Jesus would not allow Himself to be called good, maybe being good is beyond me.

Maybe doing good is not the same as being good. Do I even know what is good for my neighbor since I don’t even know my neighbor?

Now this is my predicament. If the Word has convicted me, what am I going to do about it?

What is the difference between social conscience and conviction?

I reached out to my Vietnamese neighbor because I was in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967. I told her I hated the war and loved the people. Her response, “It is very different there now.” The getting to know each other better ended there. Did I use the wrong approach? I have a Purple Heart plate and am of an age to have served in Vietnam. I didn’t even get to know if he had any thoughts on those plates and what it meant.

Maybe I am out of practice in reaching out. That too is no excuse.