The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 23:16-18, “But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush,

and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.

17 Paul called one of the centurions to him and said,

‘Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.’

18 So he took him and led him to the commander and said,

‘Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you

since he has something to tell you.’”

I wish we had all had time to read the whole passage (vv. 11-22).

Ah, he’s just a kid! What does he know? That’s a typical reaction of an

unintelligent adult with respect to a youth who knows more than he does.

David was fleeing from Absalom (2 Sam. 2), everything seemed set,

“But a lad did see them and told Absalom” (2 Sam 17:18). The people

were hungry and there was no food, when Andrew said, “There is a lad

here with five barley loaves and two small fish” (John 6:8-9). Who said

kids aren’t important?

In this passage we learn 1) that Paul had a sister, and 2) that his sister

had a son. What on Earth was that boy doing in the area where Paul

was being held? We’re not told, but I can tell you that in Israel and the

Middle East, KIDS ARE EVERYWHERE! How old the boy was, we can

only guess. The Greek word ????????? paidarion means a “little boy,”

possibly six to eight years old. Verse 19 of Acts 23 tells us that the “chief

captain took him by the hand” as they went to the chief captain.

All of that tells us that age is not the basic qualifier. In each of the cases

I’ve cited above, a young boy knew something or had something that

adults neither knew nor had. Just think about it. What do you know or

possess that your parents (or grandparents!) do not know or possess?

But there’s one more important factor: each of the youngsters cited

above, sharee what they knew or possessed for the good of everyone.

You are not exempt! Consider how the LORD wants to use you today,

when He takes you by the hand.

Love and prayers always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas