Context No. 2697 of 4322 · Acts

Acts 14:8-13: in context

8At Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked. 9He was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him and seeing that he had faith to be made whole, 10said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” He leaped up and walked. 11When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12They called Barnabas “Jupiter”, and Paul “Mercury”, because he was the chief speaker. 13The priest of Jupiter, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and would have made a sacrifice along with the multitudes.

At Lystra a man lame from birth is listening to Paul preach. Paul sees that he has faith to be healed and calls out, "Stand upright on your feet." The man leaps up and walks. It is a genuine wonder.

But watch how the crowd reads it. Certain the gods have come down in human form, they start calling Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, and the local priest hauls out oxen and garlands to sacrifice to them. The healing was real; the conclusion was entirely wrong. Real awe rushed straight past God to worship the messengers who carried his gift. Paul will have to tear his clothes and beg them to turn from these empty things to the living God who actually did the work.

When something good comes to me through a person, do I stop at admiring them, or follow the gift back to the God who gave it?

Sources

Acts 14:15: "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God."
Acts 3:12: "Why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power... we had made him walk?"
Revelation 19:10: "See you don't do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you... Worship God."