Acts 28:6 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 has been a lot in the news lately about the origins of COVID-19, including the bias of the media who outright rejected the possibility, because it came from a Republican source. They had made up their minds to do everything possible to get hold of the White House, so they closed their minds to the possibility. I expect this in the political realm, but the media is supposed to be unbiased. So much for that principle!
But history is filled with wrong first impressions. Some countries thought they could appease Hitler during his rise to power and find a way to stay out of war. Some think Socialism is the answer to the world’s ills. We know every human government system is flawed, not because of the system, but because the humans running it are flawed and they carry that flaw into the way the govern.
Our expectations color our experience of the world. When a person expects a big celebration for a birthday, for instance, and then it is less than expected, disappointment and a low sense of worth often follows. We sign up for a course because the teacher has a reputation, but then when you attend the class, it is terrible, or it is fantastic. Either way, our expectation changed the way we approached the class.
The Apostle Paul has just made it through a shipwreck following a long, extremely dangerous storm at sea. They have only escaped the destruction of the ship because God’s grace was with them. I can imagine the inhabitants of the island, standing and watching as the daylight increased and the ship was torn to shreds on a sandbar. The first swimmers arriving on the beach, followed by those who had to cling to the tattered wood of the ship.
What a scene. They are all soaked, weak, hungry, tired, and relieved. They have survived what they had thought to be their final moments on Earth. There were probably shouts of joy and tears of overwhelming relief as they gathered on that shore.
So, first things first, they have to have a fire to dry themselves and to warm their cold bodies. It has been over two weeks of desperation on the ship. So they, along with the inhabitants of the island, gather the essentials needed for a fire.
And this is where our story picks up. Everyone helped pick up wood for the fire. Even Paul got into the work of the moment. And then seemingly, tragedy strikes. A snake, identified by the islanders as being a poisonous snake, jumps from the pile of sticks Paul is contributing to the cause and latches onto his hand.
“He’ll never make it out of this alive!” “I remember when my uncle Bill was bitten by one of those. He died before he had a chance to sit down.” “You remember the story of that woman from the other side of the island who was bitten and it took her three days to die. I hope he goes quickly. No one should have to suffer like she did.”
These islanders thought Justice had come to ensure Paul died. She had failed to accomplish the task when she tried to sink the boat, and now she is here getting what she came to claim: Paul’s life.
But then Paul doesn’t die. What!?! Only a god could survive this.
People can be so fickle. One minute they think he deserves death, and the next that he is a god. Their bias colored their perception of the situation, and they jumped to a conclusion based on partial information.
We must be careful not to jump as they did. Move slowly when forming an opinion. Be cautious when making judgments. Abound with grace and mercy.
The Arnold Journey 