An earthquake, God’s work, caused the jail doors
to open, yet Paul and Silas did not leave. They waited in prison until the
magistrates (city officials) released them. Not only that, Paul demanded, and
got, an escort, for all the citizens to see, out of prison.
Why did Paul demand an escort? This seems self
serving. That is, it seems that Paul wanted honor from the magistrates who
treated them poorly. This does not seem right. After all, we are told to “turn
the other cheek” when we are wronged.
Paul was not, however, acting on his own behalf.
He was acting on Christ’s behalf, and more to the point, on behalf of Christ’s
Church. Paul and Silas getting a formal, public release was God’s way of
telling Philippi’s inhabitants, who caused the uproar, that Paul had done
nothing illegal. The citizens of
Philippi were wrong, not Paul. It also helped ensure that Christian converts in
Philippi would not be persecuted because of the behaviors of its non-believing
citizens.
Jesus, via Paul, was protecting his Church, which
was under attack.
Worthy of note, too, is that Paul and Silas waited
patiently when the jail doors were thrown open by the earthquake. Had they been
acting in self interest, they most likely would have fled at the first opportunity
to leave. Rather, Paul stuck with the conflict, painful as it might have been,
until its final, righteous resolution was worked out.
Jesus’ Church is under attack today, and has been
for 2000 years. Sometimes what I see angers me. Sometimes it even directly
impacts me.
I have to remind myself to respond like Paul. Will
my response further the Kingdom of God? If not, I need to turn the other cheek.
My response would only be self serving. I need to be patient until God’s
solution is worked out.
Most importantly, though, I need to remember that
Christ protects his Church, and he protects me! What a blessing that is!
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