Former Blackout Artist

The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” – Acts 16:29-30

Isn’t it incredible how showing compassion to someone can completely change their life?

Take this Philippian jailer. Now we don’t know much about him, granted. But it’s probably safe to say that he has a stressful job. He spends most of his days dealing with the worst of society, and he’s always on edge. And it’s a dangerous job to say the least. It’s certainly not the kind of job for a softhearted person.

That evening with Paul and Silas in his prison – the absolute WORST thing that could happen – happens. The earth quakes, the building shakes, the prison doors open.

These guys are gonna escape, then I’m going to be arrested, and then I’ll be tortured and beheaded.

But just as he’s preparing to take his own life, something shakes him even more than the earthquake did: two men who he had just bound in chains and threw into a cell a few hours earlier – they stop him. “Hey, there’s no need for that fella – we’re all here, we’re not going anywhere! Don’t harm yourself!”

Say what? Don’t you want to escape and be free from this place?

“No! Not like this! Put down your sword. We’re not going to let you do this to yourself.”

That jailer came face-to-face with a love that he had never seen before. Instead of taking his own life, he trembled and fell before Paul. “What must I do to be saved?”

In the face of such love, his only natural response was surrender. He wanted what Paul and Silas had. He wanted a joy in his heart that wasn’t bothered by his circumstances. He wanted to know what it felt like to care that much about someone he had never met before. He wanted Christ.

What about you? Have you come face-t0-face with that kind of love? Have you experienced that kind of compassion and grace? A love that sacrificed everything to call you His own?

If not, seek the Lord today. Invite Jesus to come and live in your heart, so that you may know that love, that compassion, that mercy and forgiveness for yourself.

Then, go tell others about Him so that they too may come to know the love and the joy you have found.