The Gamaliel Intervention.
Stewarding your social influence.
Helloooo! I feel like screaming! It’s been ages. How are you doing, and how have you been? I know God is faithful, and His everlasting arms are tireless in carrying us. My draft is full of unfinished works, but today’s lesson is something I learnt a little while back in my personal time of study. I’m sharing it in hopes of blessing you and stirring your heart to good works. I will return to my drafts soon, complete all unfinished thoughts, and roll out a spree of Divinely inspired and carefully curated insights for living, but till then take this and hold body.
Please pray for me (just like Paul requested in 2 Thess. 3:1). In a matter of days, I’ll be leading a 30-day scripture meditation and prayer session streamed live on Mixlr.com/thebranchcommunity. The aim is to help believers walk in brazen confidence in the Love of God and their position in Christ. It will be a significant blessing to all because all we do (or don’t do) and accomplish in life stem from the depth of our conscious identity in Christ. I trust in God that it will be a transformational experience.
Moving on…
Today’s lesson is from the story of the early apostles in Acts 5. The background is that the apostles were arrested and jailed a second time by the Jewish leaders because they preached in the name of Jesus and drew people away from traditional Jewish practices. So in this case, they were being arraigned before a Jewish court and threatened with death by the high priest if they persisted in spreading the Gospel of Christ. In the heat of this conversation, Gamaliel, a member of the court, although not the high priest, spoke up and gave a piece of advice that everyone in a highly divisive Jewish court, listened to and obeyed. That is influence at work. The ability to resolve conflicts, pacify passions, and save lives. Let’s take some lessons from him.
Begin by reading his speech.
34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men(the apsostles) be put outside for a little while.
35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.
36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.
38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Acts 5:34-40
Lesson 1: Influence is studious at heart, contemplative, and slow to speak.
The first time the apostle got into trouble with the Jewish leaders was in Acts 3. The leader of the attack on the early Jerusalem church had always been Caiaphas, the high priest, vehemently supported by the Sadducees. All the while, from Acts 3 till Acts 5, a space of about 3 years, Gamaliel was on the Jewish council of elders, but there was no record of him speaking until Acts 5. However, from his speech in Acts 5, it is apparent that he was watching and studying the movement of the apostles and comparing it against the trends of previous anarchists and revolutionists. He was making notes and gathering evidence to prove or disprove the campaign of the apostles, testing their move against the God-standard of longevity. He knew that anything of God among the Jews would stand the test of time, and if it was not of God, it would die in a short while. For whatsoever God does abide forever (Eccl 3:14-17).
To be a person of influence, you must be contemplative. You must take time to study issues and have a good grasp of them before offering your thoughts or opinions. That way, when you speak, people will at least consider what you say, even if you are taking them in the opposite direction from their ill-informed passions and pursuits. For God to give you influence, He will ensure you pass the tests of studiousness and slowness to speak. You cannot just say what you feel and how you feel every time; otherwise, you will be a disaster to the kingdom.
Lesson 2: Real influence speaks based on facts in a bid to define and shape a narrative and redirect a cause or course of action.
In Gamaliel’s speech to the Sanhedrin, he presented historical and empirical facts substantial enough to make a group of “righteously murderous” Jewish elders rethink their actions and redefine their approach from that point forward.
Influence is a gift of grace afforded by God upon your life for the sake of moving people to do the right things in life. As a steward of this gift, it is required of you to address people based on sound knowledge and facts instead of mere passionate pleas and emotions. You can only do so much to drive people by passion alone. Every successful cause or work is built on sound knowledge. See Proverbs 24:3–4.
Lesson 3: Influence recognises the perfect timing for intervention or contribution.
Remember, this whole issue of the direct persecution of the apostles has been ongoing in the Jewish courts for about three years, but not until killing the apostles became an idea in the minds of the Sanhedrin did Gamaliel speak up. And I imagine Gamaliel was acting on scripture that says, “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it. Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?”
Gamaliel, being a doctor of the law knew he had to do something at this crucial point based on all the knowledge he had gathered from the foregoing. I'd like to think that if it were not a critical situation, Gamaliel could still remain silent, but being a master of life and a great steward of his influence, he used it when it mattered. He was responsive at a critical time and used his insights to save two righteous men and his colleagues from committing murder in the name of God.
As a steward of influence, you must learn to read incidents and sensitively pick up on timing and opportunity. I’m sure you know the race is not to the swift… but time and the opportunities presented in it are what make a difference. Be sensitive to timing, it is a hallmark of wisdom. Moses said, “so, teach us to number our days, that we may apply our heart to wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Meaning if God teaches us to understand timing our hearts will grow to be wise. Wisdom and timing (time management) are eternally inseparable.
These are a few lessons on stewarding your influence in social contexts and interactions. I hope you gained a thing or two from this. And I’m trusting you will build on these lessons from the intervention of Gamaliel to be a better steward of the influence God gave you or is about to give to you.
I’ll write to you again before the end of this week to make up for past time. I hope in God to bless you!
Stay sharp and steward your influence in any capacity you find yourself faithfully to the glory of God and the advancement of His plans on earth.
Yours Sincerely.
Interesting read. I must have read this story in Acts several times without drawing these lessons. God bless you Pastor O! I will exercise myself to practice these insights.