Friday, January 28: Acts 27- your character at the worst of times

I found myself attracted to verse 3 and the kind of person Paul must have been to win the kindness of a centurion. The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.

To the centurion, Julius, Paul was just one of the prisoners over whom he had charge.  His task was to bring his prisoners to Rome. Did Julius know each prisoners’ record? Probably. Julius likely had to provide a letter from the governor to the Emperor’s court upon arrival. Whatever the case may be, Paul apparently connected with Julius in a way that caused Julius to show kindness to Paul.

I took a moment to think about things from Paul’s perspective. He was arrested on trumpeted up charges, had death threats from Jews on his head, was  shackled like a common prisoner, and holed up in a ship. This is not exactly a delightful Mediterranean cruise. Paul had every human reason to be grumpy, depressed, bitter, even angry. I certainly might have been. And yet Paul rose above his human circumstances and apparently showed Julius kindness in order to receive kindness in return from him.

I ‘ping-ponged’ off Galatians 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, … Paul was living proof that God’s fruit can and will grow in our lives if we allow God to hone and shape us and develop His character within us. An indicator that God’s fruit is growing in me is how I act during the worst of times…

Lord God, I have so much growing and maturing to go. I fall short far too often for a person who has been walking with you for 35 years. Continue to change me to be the man of God You long and desire me to be. Groom me to live with so much fruit of Your Holy Spirit that on the most difficult days it will feel ‘natural’ for me to display Your fruit. In Jesus’ name and for the sake of Your kingdom I pray. Amen.