LIFE SCRIPTS

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” 32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
Acts 17:16‭-‬34 NIV

https://bible.com/bible/111/act.17.16-34.NIV

Athens was a city of thought and ideas. So Paul entered the city willing to engage the philosophers there in order to present the gospel to them. He was treated suspiciously and even questioned about this ‘new faith’ idea he was propagating. Though he didn’t mention ‘Christ’ in his statements, he aluded to God’s grace towards man through his death and resurrection. Paul wrestled with the reality of a city so progressed in thought yet so alien to Jehovah. Education may lead us to question everything including God’s existence because it tries to use logic to explain the things of faith. We can’t contain God in our logic. Faith requires that we take a leap and believe. Paul’s engagement with the Athenians was so profound that he was brought to the Areopagus, a council of wisemen in the city. Athens didn’t present itself as violently hostile but intellectually indifferent. This is one form of opposition we might face as we share the gospel. We shall encounter people who’ll challenge our faith intellectually. What can we do in such a case? Sit down and reason with them? Yes. But this might generate unending arguments also. Instead Paul sought audience and used that platform to proclaim the gospel. We should always be on a look out for platforms we can use to proclaim God’s truth. Such platforms allow people to listen to us even though they may disagree. What platforms exist around you? Are you a teacher? The students give you the platform. Are you a musician? Your audience is your platform. Are you an accountant? Your company board is your platform as you breakdown figures. Use any platform that your job, situation or circumstances present to you to share the truth about Christ. Share Christ through your words, the way you do your work etc. Perhaps, God might touch a few like Dionysius and Damaris and you could win them over.