The noble-minded people

[Acts 17:10-15]

When I look at the grass in our backyard, I somehow feel that it's not as lush as it should be.  Here and there, it seems a bit yellowish, as if certain parts are dying.  The reason is that I haven't taken good care of the grass; it's a result of our failure as a couple to fulfill our responsibility.  To be more specific, we haven't been watering the grass regularly, and as a result, it's not growing as lush as it could be.  Sometimes we forget to water it, and at other times, I honestly admit that there are moments when I find it wasteful and choose to overlook watering it.  Inwardly, I think about the rising cost of water and reasons like not many people actually look at the backyard grass, etc.  Unlike the grass in our backyard, the Bible mentions a "well-watered garden" (Isa. 58:11).  Here, a "well-watered garden" refers to a "spring that never fails."  Can you imagine such a garden?  In such a garden, anything planted would thrive because there's an ample supply of water.  It would grow steadily, just like a tree planted by the streams, yielding fruit in season, and its leaves never withering (Ps. 1:3).  This is the kind of heart (spirit) that is compared to a "well-watered garden."  The Bible calls it "good soil" (Mt. 13:23; Mk. 4:20).  It's like the parable where some seeds fall along the path, others on rocky ground, some among thorns, and still others on good soil.  The seeds that fall on the path, rocky ground, or among thorns don't bear fruit, but the seeds on good soil may produce a harvest of a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.  Here, the seed falling on "good soil" refers to someone who hears and understands the word of God (Mt. 13:23; Mk. 4:20).

In today's passage from Acts 17:10-15, we see people who hear and understand God's word through the ministry of Paul.  In other words, individuals like good soil emerge.  They are truly people resembling a well-watered garden.  These people are none other than the Bereans.  Interestingly, the name Berea means "well-watered" or "a place with much water."  As we have previously meditated on Acts 17:1-9, Paul, who had been spreading the gospel of Jesus, faced opposition from jealous Jews in Thessalonica.  Seeking refuge from them, he found safety in Berea, where he continued his ministry along with his companions.  Eventually, due to the hostility of the Thessalonian Jews who traveled about 80 kilometers from Thessalonica to Berea, Paul and Silas fled urgently by night, and the Berean brothers put Paul on a ship to Athens for his safety.  An intriguing point in today's passage is found in verse 11, where it states that the Bereans were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica. What does it mean to be "noble-minded"?  Primarily, it refers to an attitude and demeanor of respect, gentleness, honesty, and courtesy, often associated with those born into a good family or of noble birth. In the context of today's passage, being "noble-minded" implies that the Bereans possessed a more elevated spirit than those in Thessalonica.  So, what does it mean to have an "elevated spirit"?  It entails diligently studying the Scriptures every day, akin to the image of a tree by a stream that absorbs water continuously (Ps. 1:3).  The term "elevated spirit" suggests a profound commitment to daily engage with and internalize the teachings of the Bible.  The Bereans were noble-minded because they earnestly and wholeheartedly accepted the word of God with a zeal and willingness to learn (v. 11).  In essence, the Bereans, having heard the gospel through Paul, wholeheartedly embraced the word of God.  This illustrates a passionate reception of God's word, resembling a sponge soaking up water.  Just as a sponge tightly squeezed absorbs water from a container, noble-minded individuals eagerly read, study, and absorb God's word, desiring that it penetrates deeply into their hearts.  Furthermore, noble-minded individuals don't merely accept the word blindly; they also validate it through the written Scriptures to ensure alignment and consistency.  Verse 11 emphasizes that the Bereans examined the Scriptures daily to verify whether Paul's preaching aligned with God's written word.  This dual capacity—receptive to God's word and discerning through the Scriptures—is truly commendable.  Having a receptive heart for God's word, coupled with the ability to scrutinize and confirm it, is a precious quality.  It allows individuals not only to absorb the truth but also to discern and validate teachings against the authoritative word of God.

In a textbook used by American students titled ‘The American Patriot's Handbook,’ Abraham Lincoln is introduced with the following words: ‘He, despite facing financial difficulties and limited formal education, became a great man by 'reading and rereading the Bible.’  It is said that the only inheritance young Lincoln received from his stepmother was a Bible with stained pages.  His mother Nancy, whenever she could find time, would sit on a log chair, open the Bible, and share its stories with him.  In his early years, Lincoln, facing financial challenges, devoted himself to reading the Bible instead of receiving formal schooling.  The Bible became Lincoln's closest companion.  It was his sole textbook, his mother Nancy was his only teacher, and the content of his education was solely the stories from the Bible.  Through the Bible, he cultivated his future.  When the North-South Civil War broke out during Lincoln's presidency due to the issue of slavery, the nation was in turmoil.  Despite the chaotic war situation, Lincoln remained unwavering.  His advisors once asked him, ‘How can you remain so calm when the country is in such a precarious state?’  Lincoln responded with a confident voice, saying, ‘I have meditated on the Bible and prayed to God, entrusting the future of the nation to Him. God has assured me that we will prevail as long as we stand on His side.’  Eventually, as Lincoln believed, the North-South war concluded with the victory of the Union Army.  When the war ended, and the emancipated slaves in jubilation wanted to express their gratitude to Lincoln, they presented him with a meaningful gift - a Bible.  They raised $580, adorned a leather-bound Bible with gold leaf, and engraved on the cover a depiction of Lincoln removing the shackles from the enslaved African Americans, symbolizing their liberation. Touched by this precious gift, Lincoln expressed, ‘I cannot find words to adequately thank you for your gift of love. I believe the Bible is the most valuable gift that God has given to humanity.  From my youth, I have meditated on the treasures of the Bible, believing it contains the precious riches of Jesus Christ.  Through difficult times during the ongoing Civil War, I found strength by memorizing Psalms 34:6, 'This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.' This verse lifted me from despair and discouragement."  Indeed, President Lincoln was a noble Christian leader much like the people of Berea.  Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, who admired Lincoln, summed it up by saying, ‘President Lincoln is a man made of one Bible.  He applied the truths he learned from the Bible to his practical life, making his entire life a glorious testimony.  He breathed with the Bible and lived with the Bible; he was a great man of God’ (Internet).

I pray that, starting with myself, all the saints in our church would become noble Christians like President Lincoln and, likewise, like the people of Berea.  I hope that both I and all of you diligently study and carefully examine the word of God every day.  May we receive God's word with eager and open hearts, not only diligently but also passionately love and cherish the word of God by fervently confirming it in the Scriptures.

Wishing to be established as noble Christians,

James Kim

(Devoting to the careful examination and meditation of God's word)