Perspective of Paul

At the end of Acts 24 there’s a quick line stating after TWO years Felix left and Paul remained in jail. Wait…what? Did I miss something? Two years of Paul’s life went by in one sentence! Where was he? What did he do? Why did he stay in jail? Was he happy? Did he get visitors or learn to play basketball? From reading more about Paul in the Bible and his letters to the others believers, we know he was in jail, sharing the Good News with everyone and anyone and writing letters that we still read today.

What would TWO years of my life look like? Paul’s was summarized in Acts in a single sentence, but we hear, read and see the fruits of these two years still today. There are very few times when I can sum up my time so easily. Even my concise resume bullet-points my accomplishments and skills. I hold a current job that will last two years; that’s the contract. Everyday I think about what I am doing, if I’m being productive, adding to the institution, making the most of the opportunity. Time will tell for sure, but I believe Paul’s positive gives me more perspective. It doesn’t matter if I move up or out, reach huge results or just enough. It’s the effort, complete and whole, of what I am asked to do and the effort to provide similarly significant attention to the people connected with my job and the institution. Meeting goals can help that happen, but when ship-wrecked and imprisoned or injured and fired, I still can be fruitful to who God wants me to be. For these two years. And the next two…