Pests for Jesus

When Paul was brought before Felix, he faced an alliance of leading Jews. The case was presented by Tertullus, an articulate, experienced lawyer. Tertullus began his argument by saying that Paul was “a real pest.” The Greek word implies a plague or pestilence. It is used only one other time in the Bible, in association with “plagues” (Luke 21:11).

Tertullus was implying that the Jews did not want to cause trouble. They wanted to be good citizens, maintaining the status quo. In contrast, Paul was pictured as a man determined to upset things. Like a pest, he was irritating everyone and making people uncomfortable. They longed to eliminate him, just as they would a plague, so they could go back to their “normal” lives.

To them, Paul was causing “dissension.” The Greek word here is the source of the English word “kinetic.” By his energy, Paul was stirring things up, disturbing the norm. The implication was that, if Paul was removed, life would be better for both Jews and Romans.

Today, many have the same view of Christians. They feel that we are real pests. They just want the status quo, not anything that might challenge their lifestyle or their actions.

As Believers, we are not necessarily called to cause problems. However, we are called to a higher standard, to live according to God’s Word. We should not be surprised if people in the world think we are pests.

Today, ask yourself if you are willing to be a pest for Jesus. Do you place a higher priority on serving Him than on the comforts of this world? Are you more concerned about being popular and politically correct than with impacting lives for God’s Kingdom?