Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good day, dear ones.

I just received a thumbs-up from Becki via both cell phone and email for this devotional production. She’s still heavily engaged in that conference. I will be meeting her there by 6pm. The two of us are slated to sing at their after supper program.

There were three separate little back-to-back sawmill jobs to do this morning. I knocked them out in good order. I may even get to a fourth before the day ends.

Be blessed.

Love. Dad/Ray.

The reason Paul impresses me as a great role model is that he recognized with crystal clarity that his very existence was one of purpose—divinely appointed purpose. He was here to serve His Maker. And a vital part of that job description was to help others to serve their Maker. Not only was he passionate about being a disciple himself, and about making disciples, he was also passionate about “strengthening all the disciples.”

It would seem to me that this vital sense of purpose is grossly lacking on the part of many in our present world—particularly among those of the secular sector. While suicide often becomes a tempting option for those of this mindset when things go rotten, I have to wonder why that option is not more widespread than it is. I can only imagine that if I really believed that the great purpose of my life, beyond my own happiness and health, was in fact PURPOSELESSNESS (a logical conclusion of secularism), what in the world difference would it make if I were here or not here?—since, if I am not here, I am no where?

I wonder what ever happened to Gallio. He impresses me as a person who favors objective reasoning over being manipulated by popular subjective thought. I like how he responded to the Jewish rabble-rousers who brought Paul to him in hopes that they could use Gallio to have Paul hung. “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle it yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things” (vv. 14-15). Good for you, Gallio. He saw through their jealous malicious duplicity. “So he had them ejected from the court” (v. 16). But before they departed, being the nice upstanding people that they were, they resorted to a little demonstration that they hoped would convince Gallio of how really upset they were, and began to beat the starch out of a guy named Sosthenes—like sharks in a feeding frenzy who demonstrate how agitated and hungry they really are. It didn’t work. “But Gallio showed no concern whatever” (v. 17). Good for you, Gallio.

The reason I wonder about what ever happened to Gallio is because his life story did not end with this recorded account. If he was truly an intelligent man of reason, and he truly heard the declaration of the Biblical Gospel as presented by Paul, and truly took note of the clear purpose that drove Paul’s life, comparing that with his own purposelessness, it seems likely that he could have used that intelligence to eventually come to faith—embracing Jesus as his own Savior and Lord. Why not? I believe properly exercised intelligence ultimately leads to Jesus. Anyway, I like the possibility of meeting Gallio in heaven.

Before disciples can be strengthened, they must be made. Everyone is a candidate. “…WHOEVER believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).