YOU MAY SUFFER AS OTHERS DO NOT PUT GOD FIRST IN THEIR LIVES – Acts 25:9
Acts 25:9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Will thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
Festus had just sat in judgment of Paul and saw firsthand that the Jews were unable to prove that Paul did anything wrong. Even though Festus knew that Paul was innocent, Festus was willing to give the Jews a second chance of convicting Paul. Festus feared the Jews more then he feared God. Festus desired to keep the Jews happy even if it meant that Paul was going to suffer.
Paul was required to stay in prison not because his accusers could prove that he had done anything wrong but because the rulers of the land were corrupt and they desired peace more then they desired justice. The rulers were willing to allow one man to suffer injustice if they were able to maintain peace in their kingdom.
Jesus commanded that you are to love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. If Festus governed his people following these two commands of Christ, he would not have allowed Paul to stay in prison for crimes he did not commit. Festus would have been more concerned about justice and the fear of the Lord then he would have been about peace and the riots that might occur should he release an innocent man.
What was occurring to Paul does not seem fair. The righteous were being persecuted while the unrighteous were free to do what they wanted when they wanted it. It appears that those who feared God suffered while those who feared man prevailed and prospered. However, God can change the heart of a king, he could have released Paul anytime that HE wanted to. Instead, God used the ruler who feared man to keep Paul from traveling to Rome where Paul desired to go to preach the gospel. God used the ungodly ruler to ensure that HIS will and HIS timing were fulfilled together in Paul’s life.
Festus was wrong when he did not release Paul an innocent man. Festus demonstrated to the world that his mind was not upon the things of God. Festus was not doing that which is right in the eyes of God. One ungodly ruler did not demonstrate that his heart and mind were right before God and the man whose heart and mind was right before God suffered.
You live in an unjust world. Do not be surprised when you are persecuted by the world. Do not expect the world to live by the same standards that you live by. God is in control, and HE allows you to suffer at times so as to ensure that you keep your focus upon HIM and that you remain humble and allow HIM to be first in your life.
Keep your mind upon the things of God. No matter what position you are in, it is your obligation to God to ensure that you keep your mind and heart right towards God. It is your obligation to ensure that you do that which is right in God’s eyes. It is your obligation to God to ensure that you respond properly to those around you.
Add virtue to your life so that you can respond properly to those who fail to center their lives around God. You are responsible for how you respond to others. You are accountable to God for your actions. Do not be like Festus who allowed his concerns to crowd out doing the right thing. Follow Paul’s example and maintain your hope in God and watch as HE opens the doors in HIS perfect timing.