“While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 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. 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. 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? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.’ (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)“
Acts 17:16–21

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MARCH 19, 2025

There’s nothing like a good conversation with friends—especially Christian brothers and sisters. However, I admit I’ve walked away from many of these engaging conversations to just slip back into a routine that does not reflect a hint of spiritual change.

I have a feeling that I’m not alone in this. There’s a particular practice that impacts the life of many Christians today: babbling.

Luke records in verse 18 that some of the people asked of Paul, “What does this babbler wish to say?” And, in verse 21 he describes the people of Athens as those who “spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.”

You can see the irony here, can’t you? The people who called Paul out for babbling were babblers themselves. So, how do we keep from becoming babblers?

In 1 Corinthians. Paul writes, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” (14:33) Paul is addressing disorderly worship in the Corinthian church. It’s possible to be certain about what God has said because there is no disorder within Him. Sure, a variety of passages in Scripture can be difficult to understand, but the main message is clear, and we should not muddle it by introducing new ideas that do not submit to God’s overall message.

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he recounts the time he confronted Peter (Cephas) for being a hypocrite:

“When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, ‘You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?’”
Galatians 2:11–14

What the Bible teaches clearly is that we are to love God with all our mind, soul, and strength. So, we strive to understand God’s word, believe God’s message, and live according to Jesus’ teachings. Such a love for God will spill over to our neighbor—and shield us from accusations of babbling, for our faith and our love will be sincere and evident.

“Ponder the following proverb as you go about your day, ‘The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.'”
Proverbs 10:8

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • Can you think of a time you’ve babbled, in this sense?
  • How does muddling God’s word cause babbling?
  • How does hypocrisy cause babbling?

 

Church Reading Plan: Exodus 30; John 9