The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Proverbs 14:16, “A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless.”

Acts 21:15-24, “And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

18 And now the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.

19 And after he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.

22 “What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 “Therefore, do this that we tell you… and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.”

I remember well how some of my “friends” turned against me, believing a false rumor. Although I had acted in good faith, I acted unwisely. Paul had rejected the advice of the prophet Agabus and went on to Jerusalem, as he had planned. He was well-received by the believers there and they rejoiced over what the LORD had done in his ministry –but there was a problem! The Jews in Jerusalem had been misled with regard to Paul’s teaching. And his friends, who knew the rumor to be false, devised a plan to counteract the rumor.

Everything might have gone well, except that some of the Jews who had heard and believed the rumor, had also seen Paul with a non-Jewish Ephesian, Trophimus. They jumped to the conclusion that Paul had brought him into the Temple area, violating the sanctity of the holy site. Without seeking to learn the truth, they jumped to the wrong conclusion, and the trouble that Agabus had warned against became reality. Wise men are cautious and investigate everything carefully. But wild mobs could care less about truth. It is wise to always err on the side of caution. Some situations allow retreat; others do not. Time and faithful prayer is always the better course.

We pray for all of you daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”