Paul pitched in and helped. He had gathered up a bundle of sticks, but when he put it on the fire, a venomous snake, roused from its torpor by the heat, struck his hand and held on. Seeing the snake hanging from Paul's hand like that, the natives jumped to the conclusion that he was a murderer getting his just deserts. Paul shook the snake off into the fire, none the worse for wear. They kept expecting him to drop dead, but when it was obvious he wasn't going to, they jumped to the conclusion that he was a god!
The head man in that part of the island was Publius. He took us into his home as his guests, drying us out and putting us up in fine style for the next three days. Publius's father was sick at the time, down with a high fever and dysentery. Paul went to the old man's room, and when he laid hands on him and prayed, the man was healed. Word of the healing got around fast, and soon everyone on the island who was sick came and got healed." Acts 28
Think about Paul's life as a believer. He suffered much and God took care of the details such that others might know the truth. It took imprisonment, a life threatening ship wreck and deadly snake bite to bring the attention and credibility to Paul so that others would listen to the voice of God. In the listening created faith for the lost and the sick were healed.
Did Paul suffer? Yes.
Was God's Word shared? Yes.
Did God periodically step in and meet Paul at possibly his breaking point? Yes.
Consider this in your life. If you did not suffer, would you have opportunity and credibility to share the truth of God's Word in a dead and dieing world?
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