Acts 16:11-40

I love that Luke recorded the names of specific believers.  Lydia was a woman of some wealth who opened up her home as a meeting place for believers.  She is mentioned several time in scripture.  I point this out because some believe that the Bible treats woman unequally.  Nope, it doesn't.  All you need to do is read it to know that God loves everyone - man, woman, and child.  He judges the heart of a person, not the gender. 

Now Paul is arrested, again.  I love this story because I think it really shows us how to act in tough situations. Paul is falsely accused.  Basically he heals a demon-possessed girl and her owners are upset that they have lost a source of income.  Greed and jealousy get the better of the owners & Paul is thrown into jail.  Unfair - yes, but then again no one said life was suppose to be fair.  So, what does Paul do?  He sings, he prays, he praises the Lord.  What?  How many of us react to the unfairness of life with joy?  I'll admit that I am quite good at complaining.  But you know what?  Complaining doesn't get you anywhere but grumpy.  

So Paul and Silas are praying & singing.  The other prisoners are listening & suddenly, the door falls open  and the chains fall off.  Pretty cool.  But wait, Paul & Silas just sit there.  The jailer, thinking he will be executed for letting the prisoners escape, is about to kill himself when Paul stops him.  Paul's courage, his concern for the well-being of others over himself, and his joy while in prison show this guard that Paul has something he wants.  That something is Jesus.  (Quick side note:  Paul's courage, concern, and joy are all products of his faith.  The Bible talks about the fruit and works of faith - these are it.  They are the attitude and actions of a person who believes.)  The guard and his household are saved that night - all because Paul didn't lose his cool.  Instead, he prayed and listened to the Lord.

When you're down and out,  when life isn't treating you fairly - stop and assess your attitude.  Are you grumbling or are you praising the Lord?  Are you living out your faith?  I recently saw a quote from Max Lucado that says, "Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want.  It is the belief that God will do what is right."  Paul has that kind of faith.  He trusted God to do what was right - be that imprisonment and death or escape and life.  God will always make the right choice.  So, the next time you find yourself in a bad situation - stop, pray, praise & trust that God will do what is right.