Courage

Acts 16: 35-40

³⁵ The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” ³⁶ So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.”

³⁷ But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”

³⁸ When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. ³⁹ So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. ⁴⁰ When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.

What would you do if you were imprisoned and then being released?  Would you put your release at jeopardy by making a formal complaint against the magistrates who put you there?  That is what Paul and Silas did.  Now that takes courage.  We know that for Paul his life was not his own, he had been bought with a price – so for him this was another opportunity to witness to Jesus and His love, faithfulness and life.  No going quietly here!

What opportunities have you taken up over this last week where you chose to speak up about your faith, where you could have remained silent.  Perhaps you did remain silent and the Holy Spirit is using this passage today to challenge and convict you to be more courageous in the future.

I love how once released they went to Lydia’s house and encouraged the saints.  Whenever we walk in obedience to God it results in encouragement of the saints – here we see it again.

Father, please help each of us to be of good courage and speak out at every opportunity.

Written by Ps. Richard Botta