Do you have the courage to deliver bad news? Acts 27-28

Acts 27:20-22 (NASBStr)

Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.

 When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “ Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss. Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.

The 27th chapter of Acts is a detailed description of Paul's journey from Jerusalem to Rome, in which, as a prisoner, he was almost killed multiple times.   Luke, the writer of Acts, gives us a blow by blow account of the ship, the sea, the storm and the salvation of those aboard.  Paul had warned them previously (see Acts 27:10-11), but they refused to listen.  Now Paul was put into the "I told you so" mode.    This time, however, they decided to listen to his Godly wisdom.    Sometimes, as believers, we have to deliver bad news so that others will hear the good news.   When asked by our friends and neighbors about "why" a tragedy has happened, we want to give good news and avoid the bad.  However, God has said that when others reject Him, He will actually laugh at their calamity.  Note the following:

Proverbs 1:24-26 (NASBStr)

“Because I called and you refused,

I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;

 And you neglected all my counsel

And did not want my reproof;

 I will also laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your dread comes,

In the story in Acts 27 we see that they refused God's counsel.  He could have just "laughed" at them.   But, God, in His abundant grace, extended a hand again to them, through Paul.   This time they decided to listen and they followed Paul's God given counsel.   As believers our job is to tell others the truth, no matter how harsh it might be.   When they reject the truth our job is not to water it down so that they might here it.   They are typically in a bad situation because they did not listen to Godly counsel.   As believers are job is to deliver the truth, not worry about how they will take it or not.