Acts 5:34-42 / John 6:1-15
Since young, we were told to be careful. Be careful when crossing the road, be careful with fire, be careful with the hot water, be careful when using knives, etc.
Yes, we need to be careful when dealing with volatile things or situations so as not to hurt ourselves and also not to hurt others.
But over and above, we also need to be careful about how we relate with people and also in our relationships.
If we are not careful in our relationships with others, they can in turn be more volatile than fire and boiling water and knives.
In the 1st reading, the wise Pharisee, Gamaliel, advised the Sanhedrin to be careful in dealing with the apostles.
He cited examples where movements fizzled out then the leaders were killed. So if the apostles were similar to those movements, then they will fizzle out in time.
But Gamaliel ended off with a profound statement: "But if it does in fact come from God, you will not only be unable to destroy them, but you might find yourselves fighting against God.
Gamaliel was careful enough to say that, and he was also careful enough to access the situation and the apostles, and he left the matter open-ended.
We too, need to be careful about how we deal and relate with others. But like Gamaliel, we also need to look carefully at how God acts in others.
We would certainly want to be careful enough to fight for God and not fight against God.