PAUL THE ‘HUMAN’ BEING

Many times we tend to think that, some who are mentioned in the Bible are not human beings like us. Rather, they are super heroes. One such person is the Apostle Paul. God turned the ‘ugly’ Saul of Tarsus, into Paul, who spread the fragrance of the gospel far and wide. Not just that, Paul wrote 13 out of the 27 New Testament books, which forms the backbone of the New Testament theology. Yet we see this man, Paul, subjected to intense sufferings, and his ‘humanness’ comes out, every once in a while, not in a negative sense though, buy only to remind us that, Paul is after all, a ‘human’ being. 

The Bible records these words of Paul to the young Timothy – “9 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.”
“13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. 16 At my first defence no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.” – 2 Timothy 4:9-11, 13-16

Some Bible scholars caption the above passage as “The Abandoned Apostle.” We can feel the emotion behind those words, and the pain and the agony of Paul, the ‘human’ being. Yet, Paul walked faithfully with his LORD. Even so, may the LORD help us to walk with Him, despite our humanness and our frailty. May the LORD help and strengthen us, that we may walk worthy of His name.