Patrick Hughes is a young man from our Church who has a remarkable story. He was born without eyes, has lame legs which confine him to a wheel chair for life, and has partially paralyzed hands. A movie of his life has been produced; maybe you have seen it. In spite of his severely limiting conditions, Patrick is an accomplished trumpet and keyboard player, is a professional singer, and gives out more joy and encouragement than can be counted. He wears a smile on his face, jokes about his condition, and forever gives thanks to God and his parents for the many accomplishments he has achieved.
I attended a wedding reception recently in which Patrick was a guest. As the music played and dancers crowded the floor, Patrick had someone wheel him to the dance floor. He “danced” with all his might, using his arms, his head, and the parts of his body that could sway back and forth. All the handicaps in the world could not restrain this young man from dancing and having a good time.
He is a living model of how to deal with life’s limitations and trials. How so many of us sink into the mire of self-pity and negative thinking when life deals us an unpleasant hand. Sometime we get angry at God for letting trials beset us. We are not very good at joyful endurance.
Today’s first reading gives us another remarkable story of incredible endurance. It is the story of what happened to Paul and Silas in the city of Philippi (Acts 16:22-34).
“The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas, and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and secured their feet to a stake.”
Think about it. What is it like to be stripped in public, beaten with rods, be “thrown” into a dark, foul-smelling prison—into the innermost cell–and then shackled to a stake? How could a loving God ever allow something like this to happen? How could he let those who gave their lives to preach his gospel to be treated so violently? How did Paul and Silas endure this horrible experience?
“About midnight , while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, as the prisoners listened…”
Incredible! How could these tired men who had been beaten and man-handled, be still awake at midnight, and even singing and praying to God? Having some “free time” in the innermost prison cell, they decided to celebrate the praises of God. And as they did, the prisoners listened with amazement. They watched a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit take place in their midst. Never had they seen prisoners endure punishment with such joy. Where did they get this kind of power?
Then God decided to step in and rescue his servants.
“…there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped.”
Finally Paul and Silas were set free! Surely they would hobble out of the prison as quickly as possible and make their way to Lydia’s house or someplace where they could have their wounds treated. But no. Instead Paul took care of the jailer. He told him that none of the prisoners had escaped and that all was well. From there he went to the jailer’s house, where the jailer bathed their wounds, and then….
“…he and all his family were baptized”
The jailer and his family became Christians in the early hours of that morning! How much God loved the very jailer who treated Paul so disdainfully. What fruit was borne by the incredible endurance of these two evangelists! In his love, God would allow his beloved sons go through torture so that one man might be saved.
Is there a lesson for us to learn about how to endure our “mini-trials?” Do we realize the fruit that is being ripened in us as we endure our unpleasant circumstances? Do we realize that the power of the Holy Spirit within us is such that we can sing, dance, and praise God as we await his intervention?
“When I called you answered me, and built up strength within me” (Ps 138:3).
