From a tough man to a tender-hearted soul 

(Rinku Padiyar)

Every title comes with a responsibility, as was with this nameless jailor, who was given the responsibility of carefully guarding prisoners Paul and Silas (Acts 16:23). 

The jailor understood the seriousness of this assignment and ensured that they were placed in the innermost cell of the prison with their feet bound and chained. (Acts 16:24).

But the jailor didn’t realise – Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain (Psalm 127:1). At midnight Paul and Silas start praising God and there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

When the jailor realised what had happened, being a man of integrity, he could not bear the burden of taking the blame on himself, and he thought killing himself was the best option. 

But Paul (God) called out to him! 

The trembling jailor calls for lights and when the lights were turned on, it was as if this jailor’s spiritual eyes opened. He realises that this has to be the work of God and not man. After all, he himself had secured the prisoners locks and now all their chains have been broken - only God can do this! 

Without wasting any more time, he humbles himself and asks Paul and Silas, “What must I do to be saved?” While all through his life he earned a living by putting people in chains, he realizes that he too was enslaved by the very chains that bound his fellow men and only God could set him free. He now cannot live a moment longer without being saved.

On receiving the good news, he summons all the others in his family. The jailor doesn’t even wait till daybreak but in that tender moment when God is speaking to him, he listens and as the head of his family, he leads by example. And on that glorious night, the jailor and his entire household gets baptized and saved.

He then immediately begins to serve the men of God by washing their wounds and setting a meal before them. His service was an overflow of the joy that was bubbling from within his heart. The jailor did not know hymns like Peter and Silas, but this was his way of worshipping God. This time he had no fear of authorities or guilt in his heart, knowing that now if even if he was persecuted for what he did, he would be found in heaven! 

From a rough and tough man to a tender-hearted soul, it’s amazing how the love of God can change and use someone who humbles himself and receives the Gospel!

Life Application

1. God loves the humble and those who seek him with all their heart will find him.

2. Your obedience will draw you closer to God 

3.  Whatever point in life you are in, you can still start serving.