SATURDAY March 9, 2024
Justice Served
But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”
Acts 28:3-4
In unpleasantly cold and rainy weather, Paul did not sit still. Even though he was soaking wet, he thought of others. He could have sat there cold and shivering while the natives ministered to his needs, but unselfishly, he went out to find wood for the fire. Everyone needed help in getting warm. Paul placed others first and himself last. He had weathered the storm as a good soldier of the Cross.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a poisonous viper lunged at Paul, and its fangs struck his hand. The natives began to talk among themselves. They completely misjudged Paul, assuming he must have committed some crime. They marked him as a murderer. Although he had escaped the sea, they believed justice had still been served. Soon he would be a dead man!
How many times are we guilty of misjudging people? We naturally look at their outward appearances, make up stories about them in our minds, and peg them as villains. It is not until we get to know them that we realize we were so wrong.
Samuel was guilty of misjudgment. He thought God would choose Eliab, one of the sons of Jesse, to be anointed the next King of Israel. He mistakenly looked at his outward appearance, thinking to himself, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him!” What did the Lord reveal instead?
“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
We would be wise to do the same.
“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
~John 7:24~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
