Acts 17:16-17
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.  Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

May our hearts be stirred as Paul’s was for the people around him who needed Jesus.  Our world around us has turned from God, many from any kind of belief at all, and are simply bowing down to the idols of this world.  People are living shattered lives all around, hardly able to crack a smile.  Here in our own towns, our own communities, broken people need the truth of God and the redemption of our Savior.  They need His gentle touch, a flood of peace, His love to make them whole.

Perhaps it’s true that we can look around at our society and feel like it is wholly given to idolatry, like Athens was back then.  But may the state of the world not discourage us, but instead stir up a compassion in us and a renewed dedication to sharing the love of Christ with the lost.  May we look upon the shepherdless sheep that reside near to us and live out the Gospel by loving them and telling them how they can be saved not just from hell in the future, but from a life of sin-controlled misery right now.

May God stir our hearts to reach people for Christ wherever we may go.  May we seek to reach all those who cross our path.  It’s much easier to say we see the need than to actually go out into the midst of the crowd and dispute with the people about what the Bible says.  It’s much easier to feel like we’re doing our Christian duty by going to church on Sunday than it is to take what we learned in church on Sunday and share it with people we meet during the week.

We’re not all preachers or missionaries like Paul was.  We may not have the same kind of education that he had.  But as believers, we all have the Holy Spirit within us and the authority of God’s command to share His truth with others.  He can enable us and embolden us to ask a question or share a Bible verse or encourage someone with the love of Christ.  Our world is full of unsaved people, so let’s take each opportunity we can to tell them about Jesus.