November 3, 2014 - The Splash Brothers

Acts 16:23-24 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in stocks.

This is part of the life of Paul and Silas. This treatment was a result of them casting a demon out of a girl that was making a fortune for her masters by fortune-telling. The masters got angry and had the boys arrested…

So how would you feel if you were in their shoes? I would imagine these two guys would be ticked off in a major way; at least one would have a bad attitude… after all this couldn’t be going according to the game plan! It definitely wasn’t fair, as the Scriptures record later that they were “uncondemned Romans” that were beaten and imprisoned.

Back to Paul and Silas in just a minute…

It is important in life to surround oneself with good teammates (friends) so you can:

·         pick each other up when down

·         each carry your share of the load

·         encourage one another

·         and even correct one another

·         make sure to stick with the game plan… no matter what the “score” is

It is good to be surrounded by the right type of people; and incredible if you find that “partner” that you know is running right alongside you! Thinking of “dynamic duos” because of the start a duo has had in the first three games of this young NBA season…

Klay Thompson and Steph Curry (of the Golden State Warriors) are averaging 29.7 and 25.3 points per game… and Curry is throwing in 7 assists per game for good measure. These boys are nicknamed “The Splash Brothers!” But the biggest reason they stand out to me is because of a statement their new coach, Steve Kerr, made about them. He said about these superstar scoring machines: “It’s a tandem that’s playing both ends of the floor. That’s exciting!” Defense is hard and it is not glamorous. These guys are doing what it takes for the team. They are sharpening one another. (Spiritual Application: Proverbs 27:17)

…now back to Paul and Silas…

I’m not sure what time of day their arrest and beating took place. When we pick back up the story it is midnight in the jail. I can imagine that between the beatings and midnight the boys had to encourage one another. I can imagine that one, maybe both, had thoughts of despair and giving up. But what is not left to imagination is the fact that this “dynamic duo” was joined by more than chains. These guys had each other’s back to carry out the game plan.

Verse 25 records: “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”

These boys were making a “splash” of their own! And we see in the rest of the story an entire household getting saved!

My prayer for each of us is to find that teammate to run alongside us and “make a splash” in life for the glory of God!