Two Jail Cells, Two Mindsets

 There are a lot of things you can learn about from the life and story of John the Baptist. One part of his story I would like to highlight is when John was put in jail (Matthew 11). At this point in John's life, he had been living in a pretty extreme way, living out in the wild, eating large bugs and honey. I don't know about you but that isn't something the Lord has asked me to do, thank goodness. Many are going out to him and getting baptized and Jesus shows up. John's remark is he would be unworthy to take off his sandal. Jesus persuades John to baptize him and a powerful experience occurs as Jesus comes out where the Spirit of God descends on Jesus as a dove and the Father's voice said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

What a powerful experience! To see this powerful expression and union! Let alone to be John the Baptist who was proclaiming about the one coming and BAM right in front of you all this happens! Most know this story if you are familiar with scripture and there's a lot there you could teach on, but what I want to focus on is AFTER that experience. 

If you hop over to Matthew 11, you see that John the Baptist is in jail. While in jail, John hears about the activities or works of Jesus. John then sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the Messiah or if they should look for someone else. Jesus' response is "Go and report to John what you see. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who does not take offense at me.

Okay, so here's the breakdown. John, whose whole life was focused on making the way for the Messiah, who lived in extreme obedience to the calling on his life to the point he would be living in the wilderness to eat bugs and baptize people, has one of the most profound experiences that someone could have with Jesus - to then later get thrown in jail, becomes a "captive", and is looking for Jesus to set him free. Not an unreasonable thought I think. If I were in John's shoes I would really hope that the Messiah who has come to set the captives free would consider setting me free. He clearly knows me and my devotion to Him. But the Lord's response is, in my opinion, one of the "secret sauce" ways to live. The paraphrased Matthew version looks like this. "Look at what the Lord is doing, and don't be offended by what He isn't doing." John later loses his head and dies. Probably not the ending most of us would want. Being stuck in a nasty jail to get our head lobbed off. 

I have focused on this point, looking at what He is doing, and don't be offended, for quite a few years. It has really helped me to keep leaning into Him, even if I wasn't getting the breakthroughs in areas I may have wanted. Learning to keep my heart in a posture that would allow it to see the circumstances but still press into what He IS doing. I felt that was all to this particular part of the story but a few weeks ago I feel the Lord showed me more. 

I was praying in the morning and I was reminded of Paul and Silas getting put in jail (Acts 16). As I thought about this story I was reminded of John the Baptist's story of being in jail but we'll get to that in a moment. Paul and Silas are out preaching the good news, and become "annoyed" at this fortune teller who was literally telling people that Paul and Silas are telling you the way to be saved. After days of this, Paul had seemingly had enough of this and commanded the spirit in her to leave. Well, this wasn't a popular action as the "owners" of the fortune teller realized she couldn't tell fortunes anymore they get beat down with rods, severely flogged, and then thrown into prison. One moment here, I don't know about you but I would much prefer NOT to be beaten with any sort of rod, let alone then AFTER that get flogged (which is basically getting more beatings, maybe with a whip this time) and THEN thrown into prison. That's a tough break. So after all that, later Paul and Silas start praying and singing hymns to God. What?! 

So let's run this back real quick. Paul and Silas are out doing the Lord's work. They get the crap beat out of them so much to the point that the Bible notates it twice (beat down with rods and then flogged), then tossed in jail for who knows how long and they decide to SING!? 

Now, you probably have heard this story as well but what I found so interesting was this. Here are two stories where men of God were thrown in jail, their circumstances grim with no obvious hope knocking at the door and their responses couldn't be much different. John, who had lived a life unto the mission set before him, has a POWERFUL experience with Jesus in the flesh, right in front of him, seemingly lose enough hope to the point where he sends some of his followers to ask Jesus if he is the Messiah. Paul and Silas, after getting pummeled for doing the Lord's work, then get tossed in jail, pray and sing to the Lord. 

It is pretty clear to me that even if you have had a powerful experience with the Lord, if your circumstances become grim enough, you can lose hope. Reading the story we have the advantage of knowing how it ends. Sure, it would be easy to sing if we knew for a fact that the jail was going to break out and we are heading home, but they DIDN'T KNOW THAT. Their circumstances were, as far as I can tell, at least in the same league of grim. But the heart's posture is quite different here. 

What I would ask for you who are reading this are two things. First, are you looking at what the Lord is doing and not getting offended about what He isn't doing? That's a pretty big deal if you ask me. If you can keep your eyes focused on that, I think it'll help us stay in love as we go with what He has asked us to do. Second question, are you able to sing when you have been beaten down and your circumstances are grim? If not at the moment, well then I'm glad you are reading this! It was a few weeks ago when I was reminded of these two stories and I felt the Lord ask me to sing. Not because He needs me to, certainly not because I am a good singer... It's one thing to not be offended at what He isn't doing in your life but it's a whole other thing to be able to sing in the jails and storms of life because your eyes are so affixed to Him and what He is doing. 

Spoiler alert, I wasn't there when He brought this to my attention. Many folks I know are swayed by the storms and circumstances of life. Practically I totally get it because we have to deal with troubles and struggles, but I would ask you to consider if you can look to what He is doing, not get offended, and sing for the joy set before us. Sing because, despite the circumstances, He is such a good, gracious, and merciful Lord.