Re:Verse reading–Acts 17:10-12, 16-34 (day seven)
People around you are looking for answers just like the Athenians. You might not realize it if you listen to the loud voices of our culture, but people are searching for truth. They want to know answers to the deepest questions of life from their individual purpose on this planet to why gruesome evil does not fade. People are are carrying the burden of unanswered questions that you hold the key to. Paul understood this. He was ready when the thoughtful men of Athens truly wanted to know about life and this unknown God they had built an altar to.
All these deep questions people want to know harken back to the Gospel. You know the truth, you know the Gospel, and most importantly, you have the gift of the Holy Spirt who will strengthen you and give you the words you need to say. Do not be afraid to point people to God when they are wrestling with the deep questions of life. The truth of the Gospel is the only peace in that struggle. They may not understand it right away, but it will all make sense some day.
And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.) Acts 17:19-21
It is a perfect opportunity to preach Christ when people are wrestling with the deep questions of life. People tend to listen to those who have some personal bonds with them and have the expertise over the Subject matter.
While we can point people to God at each opportunity, it will be effective when we have possessed a good amount of social capital. Just like human capital or financial capital, having social capital enables us to create value, to get things done, to achieve our purposes and goals, to fulfill our missions in life, to make our contributions and to make a difference in our surroundings.
In my view, having cultural knowledge and understanding of social norms and traditions may help us in influencing others and in gaining social acceptance which will lead to possession of social capital. The success of missionaries can be attributed to good knowledge of cultural and social capital foundation. People with good amount of social capital seem to connect and to bond with others more effectively. People will listen to those they admire and respect.
Paul definitely possessed both cultural and social capital. In promoting change in people’s hearts for the Lord, it is a wise strategy to reach out to those we have a good personal connection first and to those who seem to be ready for a new way of thinking and to those who want to be part of our social capital and networks.
Cultural foundation and social capital foundation go hand-in-hand. Effectiveness to advance the Gospel depends on these foundations. Telling God’s truth is a way to build social capital. What are your views on social capital and its influence on advancing God’s mission of salvation?