Paul had sort of a formula for his missionary campaigns. He’d show up in a town. Go to the weekly meeting at the local synagogue. Get to speak. Then he would argue from the Hebrew scriptures how the history of God’s interaction with the Jews pointed to the coming of a Messiah–but a different kind of Messiah than most had expected. Then he’d tell the story of Jesus and about how he did all the things that the scriptures said a Messiah would do. Then he’d proclaim the resurrection and life in Christ.
As I read all these stories in Acts, I’m struck by how people came to believe. I think that Paul’s message got him a hearing. Many people really seemed to come into belief not from the message as much as from Paul (and Barnabas and others) himself. His personality and presence reflected the reality of the new life with Jesus. Then he would perform some sort of sign that would show the power of God. Then more would believe.
We all have seen the studies that social scientists have conducted about communication–about how your actions and gestures need to match your message. We all instinctively know to beware the person with the smile on his or her lips but whose eyes aren’t smiling.
It’s actually sort of scary, isn’t it? That when you talk to someone about Jesus that they will be looking at your presence, your life, your personality? Does your presence invoke some or all of the fruits of the Spirit such that you are “smiling with your eyes while you’re smiling with your lips”?
Faith Venture 
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