In 21 verses, we have three different accounts of an evangelistic moment. I love how each one is so different.
With Lydia, the wealthy business woman, Paul simply sits and reasons with her in the house of prayer. It appears to be calm, rational, and respectable.
With the servant girl held in bondage to both man and spirits, Paul ws irritated and commanding. Even though the girl spoke truth, Paul commanded the evil spirits to flee which freed the girl from her spiritual bondage and made her useless to man's bondage. This witness was forceful, commanding, and full of authority.
With the jailer, Paul and Silas were living testimonies in their bondage. They simply worshipped and praised God in their suffering. The jailer observed. Once the earthquake occured, Paul recognized that the jailer would rather die than face the shame of failure so Paul intervened with connection and affirmation. Paul cared. This opened the jailer's heart. Paul was relational and most likely emotional in his response.
Three souls were delivered because of the Macedonian Call. The approach was different because the circumstances were different. People's needs are different.
Father, please give us the ability to ask what is the right way to share the hope of Jesus that will open hearts of the wealthy business person, the person in bondage to man and spirits, and to the hard worker afraid of failure or shame. Show us how to reason, command, relate, connect, and emote so thst it speaks to a deep soul need to believe. In Jesus name, amen.
Shalom! Shalom!
