I spent several weeks bringing relief to a Caribbean island nation recovering from a hurricane. I am amazed at the resilience of the people in the face of hardship. I am also quite curious about their spirituality, and I use that word rather broadly.
A man came up to me wanting to chat. The conversation quickly turned spiritual. He connected his appearance with his beliefs. I asked about the rod he was carrying, a simple stick with colored bands. That’s when the conversation ventured into what I would respectfully characterize as strange to my ears.
My new friend explained that the rod channeled spiritual power. He could touch the ground with it to draw energy from the earth. He could also draw strength from natural elements of water and plants and could invoke spirits tied to nature. As to facing evil, he could eat or absorb it and thereby neutralize it. I discovered later he was describing the beliefs of Revivalism, or Pukumina.
From what we read in Acts 8, Philip must have heard some strange things about and from Simon the magician, also called “The Great Power of God.” Simon traded in spiritualism, and not without effect. We do not know what Philip and Simon discussed, but the Bible does record the important part. “When they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. Even Simon himself believed” (Acts 8:12-13).
The way the story is told is a lesson in itself. It illustrates Paul’s admonition, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Phil. 4:8). Sure, there are many spiritual beliefs and philosophical attempts to answer or ignore the ultimate questions of life. But the way to cut through the clutter is to focus on the simple spiritual truths revealed by God. Who Jesus is and why He came to earth is at once profound, mysterious, and simple. Start there and you’ll have a foundation for true spirituality.
As I listened to my Caribbean friend, I pondered how I might respond as a Christian. I realized that the simple response is the best one. I shared what Jesus said to Nicodemus, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” As I ended saying, “John 3:16,” my friend voiced the citation along with me. So, he knows the truth. May it not be strange to his ears, and to his soul.