A disturbance is often seen as something negative, and for the silversmiths of Ephesas, this mindset held true. In Acts 19:23, Scripture says, “there arose a great disturbance about the Way” (v 23). In Matthew Henry’s commentary, he states that the message of the gospel caused a “disturbance” to those that were profiting off of the people that worshiped Diana (“Matthew Henry Commentary(complete)”). The gospel not only challenged people’s belief, it challenged their way of life.

Sometimes, peoples’ attention can’t be penetrated until something they care about gets affected. We all have one thing that we “stan”. A stan is when you are so passionate about something, that you would put all of your energy to support it, borderline obsessed. They could be a celebrity, a footie team, etc. Sometimes, we stan our way of life. We stan certain body images, mentalities, and actions, to the point where when those things are confronted, we defend them without a second thought.

This is what was happening to the silversmiths. They were stans to their work, like some of us are today. They didn't care about the gospel, until it started to interfere with something they valued; money.

Many times in my life, I have found that God will allow what I care about to be impacted by change so that I might look to Him instead.

When we do not accept the reason why God is trying to bring change, we stay in ignorance. The silversmiths were benefiting from the Ephesians being in ignorance.

When I read this, I couldn't help but think about how the enemy also benefits from our ignorance. That when we don't allow ourselves to change so that we can be more effective in the calling that God has for us, the enemy is benefiting. Why? Because he has more time to keep you bound to the thing that you “stan”.

Change happens so that we can be healed, but if we are ignorant to change, then we will continue to think our source comes from the lifestyles that we stan, not God Himself. 

So, what’s the take away here? They started a riot because they didn't want their lives to be disrupted.

No matter how far along you are in your walk with Christ, whether you are just starting out, or have been a believer for 50 years, there will be things that you aren’t ready to give to God.

I present to you a question asked by the first century Jewish Scholar, Hillel The Elder, “If not now, when?” The gospel disturbing your world is a call to action. What healing for you is in the change? In Jesus name, Amen and Amen.