Close Proximity

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What do you do when people follow you without invitation?

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Acts 17:34 – Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

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You’ve heard of magnetic attraction.  That is a natural force in which the north and south poles of magnetic force attract one another.  Almost everyone has played with a magnet at some time, and witnessed the result of a magnetic force on certain metal objects.  And then you’ve likely heard the old adage, “Birds of a feather flock together.”  While these may be examples of attraction in nature, in the kingdom of God, I believe it is different.  I am convinced that every believer has a place in the body for which Father has chosen and equipped him.  I likewise believe that when that place is truly known to the believer who loves and desires to please Father, they will be attracted to that position as naturally as bees are to pollen.  It is part of their God-given makeup, and only there can the fullness of joy the Lord has provided for them be experienced by them.

In our Text for Today, there were people whose lives were impacted by Paul, and they “clave unto him.”  The word “clave” speaks of a relationship in which one person is, in essence, glued to another person.  And when God’s design finds a place of unity in people who are following and obeying God, strong unions and connections are made.  That is what was happening with some of the people Paul was winning to the kingdom.  They clung to him as if they were glued to him.

For your own good as a believer, you need to be aware of these principles.  If you love the Lord and are living to serve Him, there are people whose lives you will impact who will love you and appreciate what you have done in their lives, but will not follow you closely.  There are others who will follow you, or even support your ministry from time to time in obedience to the Lord.  And then there are those who become glued to you.  No matter where you are, they know about, pray for you, will give to support the work you do, and if you ever need them, they will be there for you.

When the believer attempts to determine who those people are, we will often make grave mistakes, possibly drawing people into an arena of ministry for which they are not fitted at all.  This connection must be left to the work of Holy Spirit.  Let Him lead; let Him decide; let Him direct.  But to the believer, I urge you, be ready, for when such a person is set in your life, glued to you, you need to be in a position to move with God, not only for your own sake, but now for the sake of those who are glued to you.  That kind of close proximity is established by God.  And remember, it’s not just about marriage; it’s about all things – what God has joined together, let no man put asunder.

Manna for Today – Acts 17:16-34; Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 5:1