Re:Verse reading–Acts 15:1-29 (day seven)
I am amazed at the resiliency of the early church, and the resiliency of Paul. They went through trial after trial, but joy remained. From the outside, they were ran out of most every town they visited, and from the inside, they could not agree on what life in the church was supposed to look like. Strife surrounded the church, but the Holy Spirit was in it. The Holy Spirit kept the peace and gave them joy in the most joyless situations.
This week’s text is a prime example. After a church fight, Paul and Barnabas were sent down to Jerusalem to get their opinion, and along the way we get verse 3. Between the two great debates that happened in Antioch and Jerusalem we get a glimpse of Paul and Barnabas on the road. They weren’t sulking, they weren’t bulking up their arguments, the text says they were sharing their stories of joy, encouraging the church all along the way. That is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Great example to influence others for buy-in. When dealing with change, we are not dealing with logic but emotions. In general and with my experience, people are far more willing to go your way if they view you as someone who has the authority and positive attitude toward change, honest and sincere, are friendly and confident, treat others as they are important part of an important mission. You have to be a change agent yourself. I was the change agent for the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of 6,000 employees during my tenure.
Sharing successful transformation stories is a good way to influence change. Celebrating successes along the way is a good way to build confidence and to influence others to get on board. People need to see if getting on board will benefit them. It always ends up with “what is it for me, for my family, and for my organization?”
The credit goes to the Holy Spirit. Paul and Barnabas were great change agents. God chose them for this transformation journey! They had all the qualifications for a change agent!