In Acts 16:25-34 we see a beautiful scene play out. Paul and Silas are in prison and they begin to worship.

 

You know the story. The prison doors open after the prison shakes and everyone’s chains were loosed.

 

But here’s the part that starts really touching my heart.

 

Acts 16: 27-28

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.

 

Then in verse 31 Paul instructs the keeper of the prison to believe in the Lord Jesus and he and his household will be saved.

 

Then watch this:

Verse 33: “and he took them that same hour of the night and washed their stripes.”

 

Ahhh, the evidence of a transformed life. Suddenly compelled to tend the wounds of humanity.

 

Sometimes it’s the “keepers of the prison” who need deliverance…yes?

 

The very ones guarding the captives and keeping watch over the flocks.

 

When Jesus is working in a place and among people, needs are met, hearts are being tended, and prisoners are steadily being released.

 

Instead of merely standing watch and preaching at people we wash those sweet wounds and don’t mind getting our own hands dirty.

 

Our words are backed up by our actions. The way we treat people becomes more Christ-like. We begin to understand the frailty of the human heart and our responsibility to not cause unnecessary wounds.

 

Many of us would have immediately left that place if we had been Paul. We would have thrown up our hands and our hallelujah’s and went about our business happy for our own release.

 

We would have rejoiced over our own needs being met and our own safety being secured while overlooking the heart needs of a man.

 

But not Paul. He knew the implications for the keeper of that prison and he must have weighed carefully that consequence with the help of the Holy Spirit.

 

When Jesus is really in you and the fruits of His Spirit are truly at work, your safety and your security will be laid aside for the needs of other people.

 

You’ll scan in the Spirit to see in advance the possible “fall-out.”

 

It’s no longer an “every man for himself kind of kingdom.” It’s a “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” kind of kingdom.

 

The Kingdom of God then comes to earth in that every life becomes precious.

 

Perhaps we need a good pondering before God to see if we might see ourselves within this passage somewhere…?

 

From every angle of the story we find nuggets of truth to swallow whole should we choose to.

 

And perhaps it even points to the possibility that many “keepers of the prisons” today are indeed also in need of some sweet deliverance that begins to open our own eyes to the need of washing wounds.