Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

There have been many cases in history of visitors who have been met with kindness mixed with suspicion. A couple of good novels come to mind. Even at the founding of the United States, Native Americans, at times, welcomed the settlers from the new world, but were later suspicious of them. The opposite was true too, as these settlers were at times kind but also suspicious of the different looking Native Americans. Suspicion leads to a lot of confusion about life, as we see here.

These islanders in Malta must have had poisonous snakes attack them on their island, as they at once recognized the viper that attacked Paul as deadly. First they suspected that he was a murderer because the viper attacked him (this is something many today would call “Karma”). Then, because he lived, they suspected he was a god. Both of these superstitious beliefs were fueled by lies and deceptions.

When Jesus was rebuking the Pharisees one time, he talked about the source of these deceptions and lies: “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭44‬)

I wonder if these people would have stood by and watched Paul die, if the Spirit of God had not saved him from this attack from this viper? Not lending a hand or trying to save him? I think they would have. Then, after he lived, they want to treat him as a god. What a complete reversal! This too was a lie from the devil. But it was not only a lie, but a temptation. As I think about it, Paul was a prisoner of Rome. But he could have been a god on the island that all of the other sailors and the Roman guards were on. He could have ensured his freedom and punished his detractors. But he did not do that, as we will find out later.

The father of lies is always working an angle. He is always trying to divide and conquer — to separate us from our true source of power, Jesus Christ! However, Paul knew that nothing on this earth, surely no “god-like” status, would compare to heaven.

I wonder if these words he penned to the Ephesians came to mind at this time? “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭21‬)

When I always give God the glory and seek after his glorious riches in Christ, earthly temptations and vices are not appealing in comparison. Instead, they appear as garbage. When I think about his great love for me, I gain incredible power to act in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus. I can act without impact from fear or temptation, but simply as an ambassador of Jesus Christ!

Lord, thank you for your inheritance in heaven that you have waiting for me. May I seek after you with all my heart! May your truth propel me to face danger and trust you, as well as face the praise of men and give you the glory!