If you were in jail and you had little hope of getting out and suddenly the cell door swung open and there were no guards to stop you, what would you do?

Of course, this refers to the very well-known story of Paul in the prison cell in Philippi.

He and Silas were singing and praying and an earthquake struck.  The earth shook so much that the prison door opened and everyone’s chains came loose.  Paul’s jailer woke up and rushed to the prison, expecting to have to kill the prisoners.  He naturally assumed that they would be attempting to escape.

They weren’t.

They were still in the prison.  They were not going anywhere.

Why?

Paul knew what he needed to do.

Save the jailer.

He spoke to the jailer “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and your household.”  The jailer and his family all became followers of Christ.  Paul baptized them all.

As we begin to leave God Speaks Your Love Language, why is this story appropriate?

It is the attitude of Paul.

Paul knew his purpose in life and his purpose was to bring souls to Jesus Christ.  He knew his actions would speak loudly to the jailer and they did.

What are your actions speaking to the people around you?

What is the purpose of some of the words you say to others?

Are you speaking love?  Are you trying to improve the relationships you have in your life?

Dr. Chapman’s God Speaks Your Love Language has been about putting others first.  Is that not what Jesus Christ exhibited for us in his thirty-three years here on earth?

It is hard.   The world is such a distraction as humans make powerful statements of hatred and violence every day.  The attitude that the world says is that you need to “stand up for yourself,” “push others around to get your way,” “if you have to do wrong to get what you want, that’s ok.”  As Christians, we may be influenced by these messages but we know that is not what God intended for us to do.  Jesus did not show us that behavior.

Turn to 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 and read “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant and rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable and resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends.”

Does this language sound like the language of our selfish world?

I don’t think so.

These statements about love are all directed toward the well-being of the one being loved.

This is what God has told us in His Word.  He has told us that He loves us, despite the fact that many of us walk away from Him.  He will forgive us and He wants us back.  All we have to do is repent of our sins and ask Him back into our lives.  He wants the best for us.  He wants the best for our relationships.

All we have to do is pay attention to our actions and let God’s spirit guide those actions.  He will help us if we just listen and do what He says to do.

The temptations will always be there.  As Paul was tempted to leave his cell, he fought the urge and won souls to Christ.  He knew what he needed to do.

His actions spoke volumes.

The question for you today is, what are your actions telling others around you?

That you love them?