Sometimes the way we read the Bible reminds me of the way we eat, especially in America.  Having spent half my Air Force career overseas, I've noticed how other cultures share a meal - over hours.  Here, in the land of fast food, I have a hard time remembering what I've eaten for breakfast, much less how it tasted.  What we miss in our brutally fast-paced world in which we cram experience after experience into a day without pondering the meaning of most of those experiences!
So, this year, I'm committing myself to eat slowly - and to read slowly; to meditate on each passage I read.  Too often my goal has been to plow through the Bible in a year - covering three or more chapters a day in the Old and New Testaments.  If you've ever done that, you probably have a hard time remembering exactly what the Lord was telling you that day. 
   I've read this passage in Acts 16 over forty times but some new questions popped into my mind as I slowly meditated on each of the verses.  Here are Paul, Silas, Timothy (the first mention of this young man in Acts), and, of course, Luke (the source of the "we" throughout the chapter).  They are kept out of several other provinces by the Holy Spirit but Paul is called by a dream to Macedonia.

You know the rest of the story - Paul goes to the most important city of the province, Philippi, and finds some folks gathered by the river for prayer.  Paul's regular pattern is to go to the local synagogue, teach there for three Sabbaths, and then move on to the Gentiles.    Well, there is no synagogue.  Jewish tradition required ten men for a synagogue to be formed and obviously, this little congregation was very small.  Yet God called Paul there to proclaim the good news of Jesus and people responded.  Among them was a businesswoman named Lydia.  And from that small group would spring the church at Philippi which would bring Paul much joy and encouragement as evidenced in his letter to the Philippians.

Among the questions I posed as I read this chapter was "Why this little place?  There wasn't even a synagogue there!  You'd think that the first mission trip to Europe would be to someplace more important.  Why is this place so strategic that God would send the mighty Apostle Paul and his team there?"

Although I can't answer that, I do see one important principle.  Small is beautiful.  Paul never seemed to complain that he didn't have a bigger, more influential crowd.  Except for his objection to the indignity at having been imprisoned without trial, Paul didn't seem to mind being cast out of the city, not being able to work further with the new group of disciples.  It seemed that his time in Philippi was cut short - there was no more time to disciple these new Christians, nor was there time to evangelize the predominately retired Roman soldiers who lived in the colony.  Was this a missed opportunity?  Not to the God who called Paul to Philippi and then sent him away from it. 

It all reminds me that I too, should never be ashamed in the days of small things.  At a time when so many worship "bigness" - bigger programs, bigger budgets, bigger numbers, I am reminded that God sent Paul to the tiny group of prayer warriors on the banks of the river in Philippi.    God may call any of us to ministry in a seemingly insignificant area that could bring great joy if we are only willing to open our eyes to the possibilities.    Are we willing to serve in little places where no one but God notices?  In the end, it is only Jesus who will give us that "Well done, good and faithful servant."