Serving God is a joyous opportunity no one should pass on. Those who serve God understand the many blessings that become available by doing so. But what happens if you are serving God but don’t receive a blessing?  What if during this act of service you run into the opposite?

“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, 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” Acts 28:3-6 (NIV)

The first thing to notice in these few verses is Paul’s servant heart. I’m sure there were more than enough people around Paul who were more qualified to gather wood for a fire. Paul’s will to serve God pushed him to do things that weren’t necessarily his responsibility.

During Paul’s act of service, we can see he was bitten by a snake. It wasn’t your typical garden snake, it was a viper. Highly venomous! And it fastened to his hand. Immediately the islanders started judging Paul, saying that this must have happened because he deserved it, that justice was following him.

In certain times we may encounter people like the islanders. They might say things like, “God is obviously not with you” and “you deserve this mess that you’re in”. I want to tell you not to pay them any mind. Instead shake off the viper and throw it into the fire! Live a life full of God, serve him with all you have, and the venom of the enemy will do you no harm!

Filed under: Better Living, Reflections by Jose Palacios