Scripture
As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god. Acts 28:3-6

Application
This is like a scene from the opening of the ABC TV show Lost. Paul, along with 275 other passengers, had been washed up on shore of an island. The wind is cold, and so Paul led an impromptu effort to build a bonfire. Paul could have sat on the sand, but instead he worked to serve others. While in the act of public good, he was bitten by a snake.  Snake bite was nothing compared to the lashing of wagging tongues.

Public opinion is a viper ready to bite the hand that is serving the public good. Bystanders live by the rule that bad things happen to bad people and that good things happen to good people. Satan was there sharpening their words, for the people chose the one word that would have stung Paul most. They called him a “murderer”. That word smarted, for the one time hunter of Christians had been forgiven and transformed by Christ to become a church planter. The enemy of our souls has a way of reminding us of what God has forgotten about us.

What happened next revealed the character of Paul. He could have let the venom of accusation paralyze him. When we are false accused life can slow into numb disbelief and replay of past memories. Paul, however, did nothing of the sort. He shook off the snake and went on with his business.

I read in the news this week that Robert Irwin, the 4-year-old son of the late Steve Irwin, was playing with a boa constrictor (obviously we are dealing with a different kind of family) and was struck by the serpent. His mother Terry was so proud of her son, because he was pleased to have had his first hit. He said, “I hope it wasn’t venomous.” The other assured her son that she would not let him play with poisonous snakes.” If a 4 year old can shake off a snake and move on, than we should as well and if a mother cares for her child then even more so the Lord cares for us.

Application
There are times that Satan will try to use spent ammunition to level us. Like Paul, we must make the choice not to wallow in pointless regrets, but to shake off the snake and to get on with our business for God. That choice to move past the opinion of others is something that God will honor. For Paul he protected him from the snake’s death serum. For us, if it is useful for his glory, God will vindicate us. Our responsibility is to shake off the snake, move on and leave the results with the Lord.

Prayer
Father, help me not to listen to what you have forgotten. Help me to live in the now and not the then. And help me to move further than public criticism can imagine because you are leading my life. Amen.