The Salvation of One

To what extent do we love our Lord? What would we be willing to endure for His sake if we knew it might bring about the salvation of others? Would we allow ourselves to be stripped near naked (or naked) in front of strangers? How about, while being naked, being violently beaten until our back, arms, and legs were littered with grotesque bruises, marks and open lesions? How about, in said condition–bruised and bloody–being thrown into a dark, dirty dungeon, a foul-smelling prison?  Feet bound so that escape was impossible? No bathroom, no privacy, no ointment for wounds, no bandages, no aspirin for the deep physical pain?  Could we then go on to produce earth-shattering praise in the midst of this circumstance?

“Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 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 the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, ‘Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.’  Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’” Acts 16:22-30

As the rest of the account goes, the jailer and his whole family were saved and baptized! Was it worth it? In Kingdom terms, yes, so worth it! In human terms…naked, beaten, jailed?   

Today, let’s ask ourselves a question: What would I endure for the salvation of one? If there is a limit, a condition or hesitation to our answer, let’s humbly ask the Lord to give us a heart that would abandon it all as He did for us.

–Katie Botello