Day 256- We Are Fortunate
Daily Reading Acts Chapters 19-23
🎥Video
📝Reflection
Acts: 20: 8-10
“The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!””
Acts 19 -23 was my entire reading and reflection adventure today. Chapter 19 kicks us off with Paul’s third missionary trip. As he is traveling around we are also told that “God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.” (Acts 19:11) This is an important fact to take note of as we travel on to chapter 20. 📝
Another very interesting thing to take note of is the telling of the story shifts in chapter 20 from third person to first person. 📝🔍 They becomes we and us. We as the readers are told about the travel plans of Paul and his companions and then we are introduced to several of his companions by name and then the reference to ‘we’ begins. The groups stops for a week in Troas. On their last night the community gathered in an upper room to listen to Paul speak since it was their last opportunity. Also because it was the last opportunity they stayed late in to the night and wee hours of the morning to fellowship.
Then the above quoted verses 8-10 are given to us. A young man named Eutychus is literally sitting on the very edge of the group and in the room on an window ledge of an open window. The room is well lit with lots of lamps burning. He succumbs to his sleepiness and falls to his death three stories to the ground. Then we are simply told that Paul goes down takes him in his arms and he is miraculously alive again and fine. A bit reminiscent of Jesus raising Lazarus, 🤔no?
There is so much to unpack here and so many nuances and layers to this story. I am going to focus on just one angle though. The shift to ‘we’ and the name Eutychus - which literally means fortunate. 📝 We are given this intimate and pretty detailed image of a group gathered together, lights flickering, it is late, a great message is being shared and this young man on the edge of the gathering in every way falls. The group is likely paying rapt attention to Paul, but they notice this young man missing right away. They are not so focused on Paul that they miss what happens to him. Paul is also not so caught up in his own message and delivering the message that he doesn’t notice either. Maybe close your eyes and go into the scene for a moment your self and imagine…
Isn’t it fortunate to be a part of a ‘we’. Especially even if we happen to be on the edge, in danger of falling asleep and even of falling metaphorically that we will be noticed if we go missing. We will have a ‘we’ that will stop what they are doing to bring us back to life? Can this also be metaphorically even drilled down into further and applied to the self. Can we feel it or notice it when parts of ourselves are on the edge, falling asleep and even falling off the edge? Do we treat ourselves with kindness and notice and tenderly bend over and pick ourselves up and revive ourselves?
The we allows us to not be isolated even when we have a tendency to put ourselves on the edge, be a little sleepy to ourselves, possibly in danger. Others will have our backs even when we don’t. Are you this type of friend to others, are you paying attention to those in your circle. Are you focused on important things, but not so focused that you miss the fact that someone might be falling ‘asleep’ to themselves? At some point in our lives we will be all of the characters in this story; the one that needs to be noticed and cared for and possibly revived, the one paying attention to the message of God and also not losing sight of those in your community, the leader that needs to lead by example and tend to your flock etc.. This is the message being lived out while receiving the message.
Maybe you read this story and get a different message? Like I said I think there are many nuances and layers of messages within this story. How does thinking about the phrase ‘we are fortunate’ make you feel? Are you a part of a ‘we’ that would notice if you fell? Are you part of a ‘we’ that you would notice if one of you fell? Are you so focused on a leader and a message within a ‘we’ structure that you miss what is happening to those around you? Are you a leader that notices when one of your ‘we’s is falling asleep and in danger? If we are in a ‘we’ group like this how fortunate are we, right?! Take time to reflect, appreciate and make changes if necessary.
Daily Journal Prompt:
Maybe you read this story and get a different message? Like I said I think there are many nuances and layers of messages within this story. How does thinking about the phrase ‘we are fortunate’ make you feel? Are you a part of a ‘we’ that would notice if you fell? Are you part of a ‘we’ that you would notice if one of you fell? Are you so focused on a leader and a message within a ‘we’ structure that you miss what is happening to those around you? Are you a leader that notices when one of your ‘we’s is falling asleep and in danger? If we are in a ‘we’ group like this how fortunate are we, right?! Take time to reflect, appreciate and make changes if necessary.
📖Tomorrows Reading:
Acts Chapters 24-28
Coaching Opportunity:
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