While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.

–Parallel verses:
‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭22‬:‭8‬, ‭11‬
[The King referenced is King Josiah]
Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.

Great distress is not an emotion that anyone seeks to find. It is a hard emotion to handle. But it is important because it can come from a heart after God’s own heart.

When I first heard about my sister’s ministry to childhood victims of sex-trafficking, this was an emotion that I felt as well — great distress that this type of evil was happening in our country. It is heart-wrenching to contemplate this question: What if one of my children was abused in this way? What if their lives were full of this trauma?

At the root of actions like sex-trafficking are evil hearts with evil motives. The apostle John wrote about this here: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
‭‭( I John‬ ‭2‬:‭15‬-‭17‬)

Over the past years I have been able to give to this ministry and lately have begun to help in Idaho to expand services and work to unite the efforts in our state for these victims. It is one healthy response to a heart in distress over sin.

The Apostle Paul also had a heart of distress over the idols he found in the city of Athens. His heart tore at the practice of worshiping these idols. Why? Jesus said this in ‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭45‬: “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” And again he said in ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭17‬-‭20‬: “Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

So as we apply these truths, we begin to see what Paul saw in the city of Athens. Not only were they worshiping idols from a philosophical stance or a reasoning mind. No! They worshiped them with their words, their motives, and their deeds. These gods demanded horrible things like sexual immorality, lying, cheating, human sacrifice, cutting, homosexuality, the objectification of women and children, among other things. They were instruments of Satan to pollute the hearts and minds of the people to sin and be evil.

Josiah saw this in his Jewish kingdom as well. He saw how the Law of God commands that there is only one God and we are to have no other gods before us. He saw the worship of these pagan gods amongst the Jews. And he saw the holy articles of God’s temple being used in the houses of other gods. He tore his clothes and repented on behalf of his people.

I need to be in distress over the idol worship and evil practices that are in the world around me. And I must do something about it. I must battle against it with the power God gives me — the truth of his Word.

Am I hardened and calloused by evil in this world, or will I allow my heart to be in distress for the lost souls I see?

Lord, I am in distress for the false gods that are worshiped around me. These gods are worshiped with some in my family and with friends and neighbors too. Expand my heart for their souls and help me to be wise and truthful in sharing Jesus with them.