An Outward Sign

10.23.13

Acts 18.18 18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.

The temptation for me today is to make a mountain out of a molehill with this verse. I, like many, tend to see Paul as a reformist and separatist from Judaism. While that might be partially true, it is probably more correct that Paul understood the difference between grace and law. Paul understood grace in its purest form: God’s love and favor for His creation and in the midst of it, His creatures: mankind.

Paul was quite aware of the dangers of religion and keeping the rules. Paul was quite aware of the deadly effects of legalism. And Paul was keen on the fact that the Jews had misunderstood God’s interaction with them. And Paul was painfully aware of what the doctrine of grace was doing to his under-the-law Jewish brethren.

But despite all that Paul preached and experienced with God; even with all the grace stuff and the doctrinal enlightenment – Paul remained a Jew. He fully believed in Christ and was a messenger of the Lord’s to the Gentiles but he remained a Jew. And so when he cut his hair at the fulfillment of a vow he’d taken, that was a very much Jew thing to do. Paul did it his way in his day (to plagerize McKnight).

I don’t think Paul short-sold his belief’s by demonstrating outwardly what he’d committed to inwardly: the vow was between him and God. If anyone else was watching, they’d have seen Paul do a very Jewish thing (See Numbers 6). But his Jewishness didn’t shortchange his relationship with Jesus or his mission before the Father. Paul was still very much a Jew.

Our relationship with God ought to be governed by our actions before God. Now I know that sounds like a blank check but what I mean is we are who we are and we walk with God in our way in our day. Personally, I wear a wedding ring. The wedding ring doesn't prove I’m married but it is an outward display of my inward commitment to Cathy. I don’t have to wear a ring (although on those rare occasions I do take it off for whatever reason I do feel a sense of nakedness).

Things like going to church and being part of a faith community don’t prove I am a follower of Jesus, but they are outward signs of my inward commitment.

Symbols and rituals and jewelry don’t mean anything without heart behind them. My stainless steel wedding band isn’t a fashion statement – it’s not even the ring I got 35 years ago – at the end of the day however, it’s the heart behind my wearing it that matters.

Lord, may the actions of my life be backed up by the intent and knowledge in my heart and may all of it be entwined in my love for you. May my life be an outward sign of an inward commitment to You and Your Kingdom and the Son of Your love – in His Name, amen.