Chapter 17 of Acts of the Apostles refers to the men “who have turned the world upside down…” (v. 6). Upon reviewing the details of this chapter, a reader is able to understand some of the most important and enduring characteristics of men who turn the world on its head. Examining the details of the chapter and the characteristics of such a man brings the reader to one simple conclusion. The man who turns the world upside down is none other than the man of virtue.
In order to create shift of focus and momentum, it is first necessary to know the current direction of focus and momentum. Acts 17 reveals this point when it notes that St. Paul met with Jews, Epicureans, and Stoics in first-century Athens. The Apostle was familiar with the variant ideas of his day, and he was able to speak to each of them in some detail. Because of his extraordinary erudition, Paul managed to win converts from among the Jews and Gentiles in that community. Yet, he was only able to do so because he was docile to the Holy Spirit in the moments that he began to speak. The same is true of the contemporary Catholic man who seeks to initiate and facilitate cultural transformation. He will get nowhere if he does not understand a variety of modern cultural ideas, and if he does not submit to the Triune God before he begins to answer their best objections to Christianity.
Beyond knowledge of the prevailing culture, another quality is necessary. Humility is the virtue that reminds a man that he is not like God; and neither are the precious metals, stone, or artwork that man produces. It is only a humble heart that will repent of its wayward thoughts, and which God will not forsake. It is only a humble heart that can be judged righteous by the resurrected Christ (cf. Acts 17:29-31). Humility and repentance are not favored by modern culture. Men are supposed to rule mightily and become wealthy, regardless of the opinions of others. Yet, the humble and repentant man seems happier and more peaceful than all the rest. Again, it is clear to see how the man who lives virtuously flips the world upside down.
With knowledge and humility firmly established in a man’s mind and heart, the next two virtues become obvious and easy. When a man knows what is right, and when he humbly recognizes that he is not the arbiter of right and wrong, he develops courage and perseverance. This is exactly why St. Paul argued with Jews for three weeks in the synagogue (cf. Acts 17:2-3), and why he went to debate the pagan every day in the marketplace (cf. Acts 17:17). See, it was not Paul’s own intellectual gifts that made him persuasive, but it was the Lord of heaven and earth who wants to draw near to all men. When a man understands that the Lord is with him, and that he is advancing the Lord’s mission, it becomes much easier to continue speaking boldly, again and again. In fact, it is only speaking boldly in opposition to the strongest ideas of the day that they are overcome.
One other lesson about virtuous manhood from Acts 17 stands out in stark relief. Among the revolutionary charges, one of things that will turn the world upside down, is “saying that there is another king, Jesus” (Acts 17:7), With this phrase, it becomes obvious why Paul and the whole lot of early Christians were considered such a threat to the empire: government officials and average citizens thought that they were subverting the pax Romana. It is easy to adapt to the status quo, causing no harm or suspicion. However, it must be the standard message of the virtuous Christian man in the twenty-first century that Jesus Christ is the kind and lord of all. If he is to turn the world upside down, the virtuous man cannot be wary of prevailing governments, economic systems, or prevailing social patterns. Instead, he must proclaim the truth as it is revealed. Is this not, after all, what caused Jesus of Nazareth to be crucified outside of Jerusalem? Is there any other example for a Christian man to follow?
So, the things that will transform the world, according to Acts 17, are clear now. These are the virtues of docility, humility, courage, and perseverance. The only challenge, perhaps the greater challenge, is to get men to heed these lessons and practice these virtues with their wives, children, co-workers, neighbors, and friends. Indeed, if men will be docile to the Holy Spirit, humble and repentant, and courageous over long periods of time, the world can be transformed. Not only will the world be transformed, but men (and the people they serve) will be happier and more peaceful all the while. That sounds like a great world in which to live, even if it is opposite of what is expected in our modern age.
