“These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also” (Acts 17:6, NRSV).

     The same observation was made about a group of Christians during a visit to the city of Thessalonica. People from different faiths were converting to Christianity after hearing the stories of Jesus. As more individuals became followers of Christ, the social structure, values, and business practices of the Roman Empire began to change.

     By the fourth century, Christianity had turned the western world upside down. Babies with congenital defects were no longer thrown into trash piles. Those who suffered from illness and malnutrition were given aid and food. Women, who once were treated as second-class citizens, were granted civic rights. Some three hundred years following the death and resurrection of Jesus, society was transformed.

     Many lament the status of our world today. The culture in which you and I live struggles with issues of social justice, immorality, political infighting, and uncivil discourse. Yet this present age is not unlike that of the first century. Nor is this present generation devoid of hope.

     If a small band of Christians could change the social landscape of an entire city 2000 years ago, the same potential exists for the church today. All that is required is a few dedicated people, empowered by God’s Spirit, to proclaim and show that radical change is possible through faith in Jesus. The God who once turned the masses toward Jesus is capable still of turning our world upside right.