PODCAST
Sour Grapes or Sweet?
August 29th, 2012
Acts 11:19-30
A sales manager awards a bonus to the salesperson with the highest sales figures. “He pads his numbers and takes credit for others’ work,” one employee whispers to another. A volunteer is recognized for her years of service. “There are others who have done more and not been recognized,” another volunteer tells a friend later. A church receives an award for outstanding growth. “They pad their numbers,” a church leader tells a group over lunch. Why is it that we often find it harder to “rejoice with those who rejoice” than to “mourn with those who mourn”? (Rom. 12:15).
Barnabas was not threatened by the success of the Antioch mission. They were not “doing church” like it was done in Jerusalem, but Barnabas could see God’s grace in what was happening. Gentiles were placing their faith in Jesus Christ in great numbers. They were even being called by a new name, “Christians.”
Barnabas could do this because “He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith” (Acts 11:24a). When we indulge in sour grapes we end up saying more about ourselves than about the one whose accomplishments we are trying to diminish.
