Bible Reading: Acts 24: 1-10

I won't type this one out, but do read it. I love this passage because it describes Paul so well, without meaning to.

He's visiting Malta and collecting wood to stoke the fire that the natives have built. While doing so a viper leaps out and bites Paul in the hand. As the shocked natives expect Paul to become sick and die (and also figure that he must have done "something wrong" to get bitten), Paul calmly shakes the snake off his hand, into the fire where the snake is consumed. Paul then without a word continues to tend to the fire. The natives are astonished and figure he is a god. But interestingly, there is no preaching or correction of their perceptions. Paul is simply carrying on with the practicalities of things, and does so for the next several days, traveling and meeting people who offer him hospitality.

One he cures and soon after that, people from all over the island came to him to be cured.

I love this because people are used to the words of Paul, and many Christians rely on his instructions and guidance in his letters. But here is an equally important example of Paul simply being Paul, and letting events develop naturally. Paul is great with his words, but he also had a huge impact on people during that time by his example in events such as these described here. Paul did not bat an eye with dismay at the viper's bite (thus demonstrating his natural and genuine confidence in God's power to protect him), he simply flicks the viper back into the fire and continues his tending of the fire.

Paul does not manipulate the mixed and changing feelings of the natives who observe this amazing event with the viper. Paul just carries on with ordinary, non-spiritual, business (the fire is being built because it is raining and it is cold). This is the type of man who one says he is "wrapped in confidence" or "walks in confidence." It's not like he is being arrogant. Far from it, because you see he is modest and not pushy at all here. But he's not so insecure that he has to leap on every chance to preach to the natives before they get a chance to know him as a regular man first, who is a newcomer and guest to their island. (A regular guy, though obviously they now see he is one who walks in God's protection).

Paul does not run around offering to do miracles or pushing his agenda. He accepts hospitality and waits for things to unfold and sure enough, the father of the man who gives him hospitality became seriously sick. Paul then cures the man. After this cure, word traveled through the island and then "the rest of the sick on the island came to Paul and were cured." See, Paul respected people and let his actions speak for him on behalf of God.

I hope you find this helpful. People miss so much of the substance of what is in the scripture because they tend to read it very 'bottom line' oriented. "Paul went there, he said this and that, and he had some miracles." But instead, people need to observe, just as Paul's companions and the natives did, how he comported himself, and what a positive role model he was and of course remains even more so these days of phoniness and poseurs! Paul showed how people can be the "real deal," yet not walk around all puffed up with self importance. He didn't say, "Oh look, that snake bit me but my God's stronger than your gods and so he protected me." That would not even occur to Paul. How cool he was! And so just by being himself he set a powerful example.