The results are in...

"Some were convinced by what (Paul) had said, while others refused to believe."

(Acts 28:24)

Paul was arguably one of the greatest Christian evangelist, not just of the Early Church, but of all time. He helped start numerous churches throughout the Mediterranean, and wrote many of the books int he New Testament (most of which are letters to some of those churches).

Paul's background made him a unique missionary. He grew up being a very strict Jew - a Pharisee, to be exact. He focused on the Hebrew Law, and kept it zealously. In fact, he even persecuted the early Christians because he felt they threatened the Jewish way of life. Then he met the risen Christ on a journey to Damascus, and he became the very thing he had despised - A Christian! Having to face suspicion both within and outside of the faith, Paul persevered and went on to bring so many into a relationship with Jesus.

Now, near the end of his life, Paul is a prisoner in Rome. But he's under "house arrest," so folks can come and visit him en masse. The author of Acts (who was also the author of Luke) tells us that many Jews came to visit him and hear his testimony. He worked to bring many into the faith. The author tells us, "Some were convinced by what he had said, while others refused to believe" (Acts 28:24).

This struck me as significant. Here's one of the greatest evangelists ever - and some people still aren't willing to believe in Jesus. As Christians, we're supposed to be open and willing to share our faith with others. Some of us feel bit uncomfortable doing this, because of the potential for rejection. But if Paul had folks that didn't believe after HIS testimony, we shouldn't expect any different results. Some will be moved by our witness, some won't. That's just to be expected. In fact, it's not up to us whether people believe or not. That's God's area of expertise. We're simply called to share our hearts. God will take care of the results. So fear not! And, in the words of Nike, "Just do it!"