And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples. (Acts 14:29-28 ESV)
Fear Not… Then Don’t Keep It Secret
Paul and Barnabas had experienced God at work. Most recently, they had been misunderstood, misrepresented, and mistreated. And those troubles had ‘opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.’
And next, they spread the good news by spreading the good news about what had happened.
Paul and Barnabas understood that everything that happened to them happened for one reason: to spread the good news about Jesus. And that included talking about what had happened afterwards.
They did not keep it to themselves. Because it was not their secret. It was God’s trumpet blast of the gospel.
Paul and Barnabas took the next step beyond their fears, and God’s overcoming of those fears. They spoke of it. They spent a lot of time speaking about it.
Let us copy them. How often do we talk about God’s victory over our fears?
Or do we feel kind of embarrassed that we had been afraid in the first place?
Or do we, after it is all done, downplay God’s grand work?
Or do we think it is no one else’s business?
Or do we not want to draw attention to ourselves, forgetting that it would be drawing attention to the gospel?
The wonderful acts of God do not end in what happens to us. It continues as we spread the news.
Fear not, then don’t keep it secret.