What do you think Paul looked like?

II Cor 11, Paul records for us his life in interesting detail...

• far more labors
• far more imprisonments
• beaten times w/o number (often in danger of death)
• 5 times - received 39 lashes
• 3 times beaten with rods
• Once stoned!
• 3 times shipwrecked
• he spent a day and a night in the ocean

My thought as I sat and read this today is - I wonder what Paul looked like. Follow this with me. Have you ever seen anyone beaten? Did their body ever fully recover? I've never seen anyone stoned (at least not in the Biblical sense), but if hit with rocks and left for dead, there had to be some head shots! Paul must have been a site for people to see!

Then he opens his mouth and shares the goodness of the gospel, the greatness of his Savior, the love of his master, the good news of following Jesus Christ. You think people may have wondered if this man was off his rocker? I mean really, what has following Jesus done for you? Your life hasn't been made easier. You have encountered numerous problems as a result of being a disciple of Jesus. Why would I want to follow Jesus? However something about his message called them to join in his struggles.

What kind of disciple am I? Would I continue in the faith if faced with the situations that Paul encountered? Would my message be a message of self protection or self sacrifice?

As I wonder what Paul looked like as he share with people about Jesus, I wonder what I look like as I talk with people about the very same good news.