The More The Merrier -and- Figuring Out The How and Where
The work has begun. This message about Jesus is starting to spread and people are wanting to jump in and give their hearts and lives to this cause of sharing that love and forgiveness with others. They will walk. They will take boats. They will go everywhere they can. In these early days and moments of the church we see in Acts, they won't be alone either. Paul has set out with Silas in one direction. Barnabas, with John Mark in tow, have set off in the other. And, lots of others will jump into the account and become part of the movement.
Timothy and Paul find common ground in that they have been down similar roads biologically. Both of them have had Jewish mothers and both have had Greek fathers. Paul knows the ins and outs of the religious community. Note that he has Timothy circumcised. It has been made clear that this requirement is no longer needed in the life of faith that these believers are seeking in Jesus Christ. The very acts has been reduced to a ritual and custom. Paul knows how to use that. By putting the young follower through this step, it relieves some of the stress he would have had to face from those in opposition, giving them one less thing to gripe and complain about. I have been in similar circumstances through my career with mentors and guides who have given me insight as to how to handle the people and issues around me while pastor of a church in a small town. Some times there are matters that seems trivial but can turn into a bigger issue when left to fester. I wish someone had clued me in when i first came to the Thornville church about a certain sewing ladies' tub of item that had been moved and was not where it should be. Apparently, she had not even looked for it or used in nearly a year. But, here she came looking for it 6 months into my time as pastor and it was all my fault because she couldn't find it and the tub had been moved. (Our custodian clued me in that he had moved it and that she hadn't even used it in months.) Circumcision has become that kind of controversial bit of turmoil for conversational flare that can cause someone trouble as they begin this work of the Gospel in an area predominantly occupied by Hebrew minded people. Those little quirks and bits can changed as we go from culture to culture through out the world. It's important to know your people and the background they are coming from before simply jumping in and slapping them with our customs and ways of living. We have ways of worship and liturgy and living in this world that other people would find strange. If there is any way that we can avoid having to deal with some of those matters before they become matters of disturbance, then it is wise to follow in the steps and spirit of Paul, doing as he has done with Timothy here. 
Not only do we have a time with sharing the Gospel, openly, within our culture without stepping on toes or stirring up controversy; but, we also have to figure out where we should go and who we should talk to along the way. Have you ever wanted to say something? Have you ever wanted to speak up in the midst of argument and just didn't have the words? Maybe the Lord didn't want you to at that time. Maybe you've wanted to go to someone's how or simply where they are and speak to them. But, the way seems shut. Other factors in life pop up and the opportunity seems blocked. It happens. Paul and his group want to go several different places. It becomes a regular occurrence that can be noted through out all 4 of Paul's missionary journeys. There are places they go to, he wants to enter and minister in a certain region, but they simply cannot go in. Maybe it governmental. Maybe its religious opposition. Maybe it's a simple "NO". Sometimes the door is just shut.
We should never let that deter us. We need to move on and seek out the open doors. There are plenty of people in this world who need and want to hear. Go to where they are in the mean time and don't get hung up on the hardest and toughest ones who can't answer to the message of Jesus. I've seen it happen many times over the years in church. People can't bear the thought of just "giving up" on a certain someone attached to the church family. It's not that we are in any way giving up on them. We put them on the 'back burner' for now. We continue to pray for them. But, they are not going to take our central focus. There are many others out there who need to hear about Jesus. And, we need to go to them. 
The Lydias are who we find when we press on into the work of sharing the Gospel. She will become a great source of support and compassion in the sharing of Jesus Christ throughout Macedonia. She is an example of the kind of blessing we are looking for as we are out there in the world. God knows what he is doing and where he is sending us before we ever conjure the idea of what could happen. We simply need to let God lead. We also need to seek out the open doors. There are people waiting to hear behind many of them.
God can do great things as we see again in a prison setting.
Sometimes, our customs and traditions can be the very thing that leads us into the conversation that will bring some to their knees. The opening here was the casting out of the spirit from the young girl. But, the statement from the men who owned here was about the Jewish men and their "customs and practices." Sometimes the very mention of our geographical origin or our native background can be the item that starts the ball rolling. However, note later... It never comes up again. God steers the direction into a pure conversion moment for the jailer of the prison. Paul and Silas are set free and the jailer asks straight away "What must I do to be saved?"
Note the other custom and let your eyes read between the lines. Paul is Roman citizen. The magistrates ordered them beaten and flogged. That is not ok and Paul takes advantage of the moment. Roman citizen are not to be beaten like this, especially when no court matter has been settled to prove innocence or guilt. "Let the magistrates come them selves" Why? Well, do they wind up going back to? Lydia's house. Don't pass up on the obviousness of the moment. The sharing of the Gospel is evident in all of this. And Paul takes advantage of not just his Jewish side but also his Roman side, biologically and through his heritage.
There are ways to get through to people about Jesus that maybe we haven't contemplated.
Let the Lord lead you in those conversations this week.
Blessings
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