Acts 16 (click to read)
19 When the girl's owners realized that they had lost all chances for making more money, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into court. 20 They told the officials, "These Jews are upsetting our city!
The key story is this chapter is the jailing of Paul and Silas and the resulting conversion of the jailer and his family. But I am drawn to the "why" of the jailing. Paul and Silas got into legal trouble because they "damaged" a business that was built on the abuse of a girl held in slavery and used for the owner's purpose. This, of course, was legal, but is was not right. The focus is on the healing of this "spirit possession." And it seems to be almost an after-thought for Paul. But I think the Holy Spirit was already leading the New Testament into raising the value of every human being to equal, no matter who had the money or the power. And for this Gospel - for certainly this was Good News - Paul and Silas were imprisoned. The challenge to me, to believers everywhere, is to live so deeply into the values and principles of Christ that we see where law, power and money have broken these values and principles. And then we speak, act and perhaps suffer so the Will of Christ can be done.
Lord - I call You this because this is what I want You to be. And that means living into Your Values, Principles and Righteousness. Help me to be so immersed in Your Kingdom that I can see where life around me needs addressing, helping, encouraging and action so Your Will is done despite power, money and law.
(You can download the Pathway 2012 Bible reading list here.)
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