Shaking Snakes

2.21.2010

Acts 28:3-5 3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 4 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ESV

I dunno about you, but some stupid snake attaches itself to my hand and I’m in a panic! Some stupid snake shows itself in my back yard, and I’m startled and then in a panic looking for my shovel to dispatch him, post-haste! Vipers are bad news – venom, poisons, toxins, death and such… Makes me think about Paul and what kind of man he was.

Paul wasn’t Fabio. Paul wasn’t Hulk Hogan. Paul wasn’t what we moderns might term a man. He didn’t have a killer career. He didn’t have a trophy wife and a mansion full of stuff. Paul would probably be laughed at today much like he was in the first century. But Paul was on a mission from God and bureaucrats like Festus and religious leaders like the Pharisees weren’t going to stop him. Neither were centurions or arrogant sailors. Floating around in the cold ocean wasn’t going to stop him and neither was a stupid snake. Paul, whatever we want to think about him, was a man of God on a mission from God and knew it. He wasn’t to be denied the accomplishment of that mission – because Paul trusted in God more than anything else, and Paul knew God wouldn’t be denied.

Do we know our mission? Do we trust God in the middle of situations that make us, or ought to make us panic? If God says we’re to do something, do we do it no matter what? If we don’t know our mission, should we? What do we do when a snake attaches itself to our hand? What does the watching world think? These are big thoughts for me and make me think. I hope they make you think too…

Father in Heaven,

You have spoken and may I know what to do, where, when, and how – and with whom. May I trust You like Paul did and obey You like he did and shake the snakes off into the fire with no ill effect like he did. There are folks all around me like the Maltans that need to hear about You – may I do as he did; I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.