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Shaking Off Snakes


 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 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. (Acts 28:1-6)

          A local Christian radio station guy walked about this passage this morning as I went to the grocery store yesterday morning. His comment was that it made him giggle more than some other passages do. My reaction isn’t chuckles (though I can understand why some folks might find it funny.) My reaction was, “Oh, another reason God causes bad things to happen.” God got Malta’s attention. 
          I don’t envy Paul’s situation. The idea of having something bad happen so that other people can see me is distressing. I’d rather be invisible but if my being visible accomplishes what God desires, then being visible is a small price to pay. The problem is, when I’m visible, like so many people, I’m a drama queen. Get bit by a viper and just shake it off and go back to work? Well, maybe with some vipers. With others, I want to scream and talk. 
          I suspect Dad’s death is one of those vipers. I’d like to just shake it off. I’d like to be invisible, but I feel like I’m screaming. So, what can I learn from Paul? Focus on the task at hand. When something bad happens, trust God and get back to work. Which leads me back to one of my other big tasks for the day: getting my act together, making a list of what needs to be done and getting to work on it, shaking off any snakes I happen to disturb.

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