They Just Won't Shut Up!

Acts 16:16-34

        Paul was annoyed. I find that amusing because Paul has been annoying folks for over 2,000 years. Paul was upset because he was trying to have a meaningful conversation with the good folks of Philippi and every time he attempted to speak a young woman would scream, “These men are slaves of the most high God.” You would think Paul would have applauded such an introduction. But the problem was she never quit yelling. Every time Paul tried to speak, the woman interrupted. She was like a warm up band that refused to get off the stage. She would not shut up. The more she yelled, the madder Paul got. Finally Paul had enough. Suspecting she was possessed, Paul ordered the evil spirit to leave the girl. She immediately became mute and Paul proceeded to preach the gospel. End of story? No, it was only the beginning.      

        It seems the woman was born with the ability to tell the future.  She must have been quite good at it. A group of men had invested in her skills and were making a small fortune off her gift. Was it ethical for them to take advantage of her? Probably not. Was Paul out of line in shutting down their source of income? Notice how everything is so clear until there is a clash between morality and commerce. Regardless of the conclusions we draw, the men who owned the woman were furious. One minute they owned a cash cow. The next minute her milk had dried up. She was useless to them and they were furious. Now they wouldn’t shut up! They went to the local authorities and demanded restitution for their loss of income. Their complaint was quite simple, “These men are different from us and they are not abiding by our laws and customs. They are a menace to our way of life. We need to lock them up.”        

The magistrates agreed. Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten, and thrown into jail. Only Paul and Silas were now the ones who wouldn’t shut up. Once in jail they began praying and singing. It was after midnight and they were making such a racket no one in the jail could get any sleep. Then suddenly there was an earthquake. The walls of the prison collapsed. The shackles fell off all the prisoners. Now it was the jailer who wouldn’t shut up. He wailed, “Everyone has escaped. The magistrates will have my job. They will rebuild the prison and make me the first occupant. Someone give me a sword. Let me end my life right now.”

Paul interrupted his rant. “We are all here.” The jailer looked around and realized no one had left. He was overwhelmed with relief. Looking at his battered prisoners with more than curiosity he asked, “How can I get what you have got?” Then he took the prisoners into his home.

Such a cast of characters: a woman screaming epitaphs, businessmen screaming for profits, a jailer screaming for his life, and Paul and Silas praying very loudly. So who was the subject of Paul’s prayers? At first glance the answer seems obvious. Paul and Silas had almost been beaten to death. They obviously were giving thanks just to be alive. Or were they? I think Paul and Silas were praying for the woman, the owners, the magistrate, the folks who beat them, and the jailer who imprisoned them.

In the 1950’s and 1960’s during the civil rights movement members of the cause spent a lot of time in jail. This was where the greatest demonstration of faith and resistance took place. Folks who signed up to march were not just taught how to peacefully resist. They were taught to pray loudly.  A favorite catchphrase that filtered between the cells was, “Pray like Paul and Silas”. Everyone knew what this meant. You didn’t pray for your release. You prayed for the police. You prayed for the person who had dragged you through the streets. You prayed for the children who had spit on you. You prayed for the jailer who turned the key to your cell. You prayed without ceasing for those who hated you. You prayed late into the night. You prayed long and hard. You refused to shut up.  Silent prayer might be good for the soul, but prayers that break the sound barrier rock the foundations of a corrupt society.

So how is your prayer life? Do you pray out loud? Do you pray at all? Do you pray for yourself? Do you pray for your friends? Do you pray for your enemies? Do you pray for injustices? Do you pray that things will just stay the same?

        What would have happened if Paul and Silas had never prayed? Would there have been an earthquake? Would there have been a conversion of the jailer? Who knows? A question like that is beyond my pay grade. But I can share this.  I like to think of prayer as a solitary light that disturbs my darkness. So should I pray louder and disturb the darkness of others? Does praying out loud liberate or infuriate?   I imagine the men of commerce just wanted Paul to shut up?  But what about the jailer? What about the woman who lost her voice? What did they desire to hear?

        Maybe prayer is more than a solitary light. Maybe prayer is the pulse of life. If prayer is our confirmation of God’s existence then doesn’t prayer become our initial connection with the rest of God’s creation? How will the rejected woman, or the jailer, and particularly our enemies hear us if we don’t pray loudly and joyfully, and without ceasing?

        I know what you are thinking. We are Presbyterians. We are God’s Chosen Frozen. We pray quietly, respectfully, humbly, reverently, or we don’t pray at all.

        Maybe that’s why women continue to be abused? Maybe that’s why too often commerce is chosen over morality? Maybe that’s why frequently the customs of society don’t reflect the principles of God? Can you imagine what might happen if we started praying Very Loudly For Our WORLD?

        It might start bringing down some walls of oppression.

        To God be the Glory. Amen