When we first moved back from Canada we lived in Urbana, Illinois on Easy Street. Yes, we had made it to Easy Street; but, the place we rented was anything but easy. The bedrooms were so small that we could barely get the kids beds in them with their dresser. The dryer wouldn’t work. We found out the dryer was fine, but they had never cleaned out the vent to the outside. Yeah, there was about a foot of lint clogging it. The sliding glass door leaked like a sieve, so I had to buy an oversized shrink wrap to put around it to keep the furnace from running all night. So, after nine months, we left Easy Street for an easier place to live.
Several other things happened in that house that left more bad memories than good. One memory is the action figures that we got the kids. It was Christmas and the thought was to give them something positive, Christian, uplifting for Christmas. So, when they came out on Christmas morning there was the cave with a stone that could roll away along with a Jesus and some other New Testament action figures. Needless to say, for a then five and seven year old it was a Christmas to remember, but not for a positive reason. The action figures did not go over well.
When you think of Bible action figures who do you think of. Jesus of course, then maybe David and Goliath. How about Moses, or Abraham? Jonah is another one that may come to mind with the large fish that swallowed him. Then there is always Noah with his ark that most Bible classes have for kids to play with. In the New Testament, outside of Jesus, we may think of Peter the impetuous one, or the “Sons of Thunder” as James and John were called. All of these were also fishermen. I’m not sure Matthew with a tax collector’s booth would come to mind, but for some it may. But the Biblical action figure I would want, would be Paul.
Why I like Paul is because he was a true “Action” figure. Think about all he did from persecuting Christians to becoming one himself. I love how Luke records not only his three journeys he went on the spread the good news but also his travels to Rome. Paul was a man of action, be it standing up in the Synagogue, speaking to the Areopagus or standing before King Agrippa. Paul didn’t sit around, but was very active in sharing about the salvation and love he had found through the Savior whose followers he once persecuted.
As we Walk the Walk this year we are going to take the next four weeks to Walk with Paul. Bryson and I will bring lessons from Paul’s life as he walked in service to our Heavenly Father. We will look at changes in his life, at the conviction he had, the challenges he faced and some of those that came to call Jesus, Savior. We will look at some of the action the activities that we have recorded in the book of Acts as we Walk with Paul.
Though I am a huge Paul fan, because of what I see in his life, there is a verse that he writes that always sticks with me. 1 Corinthians 11:1 reads, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (NIV). If Mattel had called him and wanted to make his likeness into an action figure, I’m sure he would said to make one of Jesus instead. He was always pointing those around him toward the Messiah.
With Paul, focused on Jesus,
Randy