https://youtu.be/WBdZVNCJpeg
“Good.” (Acts 16:25-34) All verses in NKJV
- Sometimes it reveals a good lesson that prepares me for things that could come my way.
- Sometimes it’s an exercise in humility, realizing I likely would have done far worse things.
Sometimes you really don’t know what you would do until you find yourself in that situation.
As we continue through the Book of Acts, here is the situation Paul and Silas found themselves in:
read Acts 16:22-24
It’s easy to say what we would do in this situation, I mean, we all know the good Christian answer.
BUT, when YOU were confronted with unjust and terrible circumstances in the past, what did you ACTAULLY do? Virtue untested is no virtue at all.
Our verses for today are (read) Acts 16:25-34
3 things really stood out to me when I read this story:
I noticed the attitude in which Paul and Silas dealt with difficulty.
Acts 16:25, But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
Example: “Good.” Video, Another fire officer showed me this video featuring Jocko Willink, co-author of leadership books Extreme Ownership, and The Dichotomy of Leadership. He was Commander of SEAL team “Task Unit Bruiser”, during the battle of Ramadi. He said this:
“This is something one of my direct subordinates pointed out. He would pull me aside with some major problem, and I would look at him and say, “Good.” And finally, one day, he was telling me about something that was going off the rails, and as soon as he finished explaining it to me, he said, “I already know what you’re going to say.”
“What am I going to say?”
“You’re going to say, Good. That’s what you always say with something is going wrong.”
“So, I explained to him that when things are going bad, there’s going to be some good that will come from it: Didn’t get the job you wanted? Good. More time to gain experience and build your resume. Got tapped out, got beat? Good. You learned. Got injured? Good. Now you can get some rest and regroup. Unexpected problems? Good. You get the opportunity to come up with new solutions.
“I don’t mean to say something trite. I’m not saying a positive attitude will solve your problems, but neither will focusing on the problem. Accept reality, but focus on the solution, and turn it into something good. This attitude will spread throughout the team. Finally, if you can say the word ‘Good’, then you are still alive.”
This reminded me exactly of the attitude that Paul and Silas had! Attitude check!!
Beaten up and thrown in jail for teaching about Jesus? Good. You have the opportunity to grow in your character.
Romans 5:3-5, …but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Stuck in the inner dungeon with hardened criminals? Good. You can shine your light before a whole group of people that would never here the gospel, at all possibly, before their death.
Matthew 5:16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Unfair and undeserved circumstances? Good. You get grow in your patience.
James 1:2-4, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Paul and Silas accepted the reality of their situation, and turned to God in prayer and song during it.