When you have a Damascus experience like Paul, it changes your life radically. Before, Paul killed Christians; now he supports the other side 100%. He is driven to use all his energy to tell people about Jesus. When you meet Jesus face to face, everything changes to completely. No prison can stop Paul. No stick that hits his body, no shouting or spitting by a soldier will stop him. His passion to save others from eternal fire burns constantly and nothing can put it out, 4... that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I'm locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I'll be able to make Christ plain as day to them. I'm embarrassed by my own little fire. It is so easily extinguished or put out.
So easily I keep quiet and rather say nothing, because nowadays we have to give everyone space to believe as they like. I take my hat off to a number of teachers in my son's school. They saw the need to help dads to connect to their sons and started a movement called Engage. Any father and son are welcome. They know many are not Christians. They are careful and try not to offend. But they are not afraid to say exactly who they believe in. Even the head boy who talked directly to the young boys stated clearly that he had made a choice for Jesus in his life. How wonderful it was when this same head boy concluded the evening with a prayer and blessed everybody. Here one could see that today there are still people like Paul who cannot keep quiet.
The secret must be revealed. The risk doesn't matter, whether it is imprisonment or the government or losing your friends, every person must hear the good news. I think they know how to tell the right thing at the right time. Yes, they are sensitive and give space. But that doesn't mean that they don't speak up. By hook or by crook, the secret must out! I realise that we cannot make it work on our own. Paul knows that too. I suspect that Paul's personality is more a "turn or burn" technique, and, therefore, he asks for reinforcements.
We are too weak. Either our fire is extinguished or we are insensitive and drives people away before we get a chance to give the message. God must help us. We need God's Spirit to guide us so that we can say and do the right thing at the right time. May it be so. May we be sensitive to the guidance of the Spirit. Let us strive to follow Paul's example. May we be like the teachers at my son's school and burn like the head boy to tell the good news and may God's Spirit guide us to do it in the right way at the right time.
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