“I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace. Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet each other with a kiss of love. Peace be with all of you who are in Christ.”
1 Peter 5:12-14 NLT
As he was signing off his letter, Peter mentioned the help he had received from a man called Silas. We find the first mention of Silas in Acts 15:22, “Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders—Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas”. So we know he was one of the first church leaders and respected enough to be entrusted with an important role in the establishment of the Christian church in Antioch. We also know that Silas accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey, and he was the Silas who was severely beaten with Paul in Philippi and ended up in the Philippian jail. We can read this story in Acts 16. Silas had a reputation of being faithful and another short verse gives us some more insight into this man. “Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith“ (Acts 15:32). So as well as being a faithful encourager, Silas was also a prophet.
There was no postal service in those days, so Peter sent the letter to the five churches in the care of Silas, who he commended as a “faithful brother”. After this, Silas disappeared from historical accounts, but we do know that through his faithfulness, he would have made a difference in the lives of those early Christians, encouraging and supporting them.
Are there any men like Silas today? I have been fortunate enough to have known several. Men of God, who have faithfully followed Jesus, and who have helped me at times in my pilgrimage through life. I can remember the man who carefully and diligently started me off on my journey with a Bible and some Bible Notes. Another man from Florida, who had moved to Scotland as a missionary, at just the right time, showed me the way through some spiritual minefields. And there were others. Faithful men doing God’s work.
We pilgrims also have an obligation to help our fellow brothers and sisters. Silas was motivated by love for other believers, doing what Jesus asks all His disciples to do. We read what Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples”. Loving our brothers and sisters in God involves the same demonstration of love that Jesus exampled to His disciples. No conditions. Faithfully. Never giving up. Such loving qualities are the mark of Christians everywhere. Sometimes we pilgrims look at the scale of the potential task of encouraging everyone, and are in danger of being overwhelmed. But God is the Master strategist, and knows we are not required to change the world. There might just be one brother or sister to whom we have supplied the right words at an opportune time, and that is all God has asked us to do. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians with this message, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We can all be a “Silas” to those around us.
Dear Father God. You, the great Encourager, want us to encourage others too. Please give us the right words at the right time. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 