Well that's a good attitude!

Job 11, 12
Acts 15, 16

SOAP - Well that's a good attitude!

Scripture
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"

29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

31They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.

Observation
The people have flogged Paul and Silas and put them in prison. They have not become bitter. They are singing hymns and praying. Then they even show concern for the very man that put them in prison. Instead of running away when an earthquake frees them, they stay there. The jailer, assuming they are gone, is about to take his own life when Paul calls out to him to not harm himself because they are still there. The jailer seemed pretty moved by this, even scared of them. He immediately wanted to know what he should do to be saved. And as soon as he was saved, he took action, cleaning their wounds and feeding them. We see a similar reaction earlier in chapter 16 when Lydia is saved and immediately invites Paul and Silas to stay at her house. The very first thing the jailer and Lydia did after becoming Christians was to be generous with what they have, using it to serve the Lord.

Application
I really like it that Paul and Silas have such a good attitude here. They could have easily thought that everything was going wrong and be totally bummed. They could also easily have held a grudge against the man who imprisoned them. But, instead they are praying and singing hymns. And happily tell the jailer what he needs to do to be saved. I've had this feeling lately that God wants me to learn some more hymns, maybe to be able to run them through my mind when I'm faced with a situation that I could easily embrace with a bad attitude. I think they would be helpful when things seem to be going wrong and I can't put words together to pray or to tell myself to help keep a good attitude. I guess that's the main thing that stood out to me here, they were singing hymns. I like it when the messages I'm getting from God end up backed up by the scripture I'm reading. And the way they treated the jailer stood out too. I hope that in life when put in a similar circumstance I'll treat people well and have my focus be on helping them know the Lord, rather than how they have treated me. That seems very hard, totally impossible for me on my own, but totally possible with God's help. Oh yeah, one more thing... I like the reactions of the new Christians. They are immediately generous with what they have to give. I hope I can be generous with all I have, as it is not really mine but God's and he's looking to me to use it for his work.

Prayer
Dear Lord, I can't thank you enough for the times when you have been right there beside me helping me keep a good attitude. Thank you for guiding me and helping equip me with some plans to help keep my mind on you when things are going wrong. Lord I want to keep a good attitude, a gracious and thankful heart. Lord thank you for the blessings you've given me, trusting me to use them for your work. Lord I pray that you would open my eyes to see how they can be used, and open my heart and help me be generous with all you've given me. I know that it is indeed yours and not my own. How then Lord should I use these gifts for your service? Thank you Lord, Amen.