The Lord had been kind to Paul and his travelling companions (including Luke), fellow prisoners, passengers, soldiers and sailors. After more than two weeks adrift in a storm at sea, all 276 people on board the Alexandrian cargo/passenger ship were safe, even though the ship had broken up on the sandbar. After swimming towards the sandy beach or clinging to pieces of wreckage, the survivors assembled in the rain on a sandy beach at the northwest of the island of Malta.

Islanders had come down to the water's edge to see what would happen; often a shipwreck brought valuable cargo into their hands. But seeing such a large group of wet, cold people, they lit a fire on the beach. Their kindness was another touch from the Lord, which must have been very comforting to the shipwrecked. Paul, whose godly authority had brought everybody safely ashore (Acts 27:23-26, 31), helped practically in stoking the fire with light shrub wood from the edge of the beach. But as he brought it near to the fire, a venomous snake, which had been lying in the branches, attacked Paul, latching onto his hand.

The local people interpreted superstitiously. They decided that Paul must have been a dangerous criminal who had escaped the storm, but would now die at the hands of nature under the direction of the goddess of justice. They knew that the poison from that snake was irreversible, and so Paul's death would be imminent. However, as the crowd watched, Paul shook off the reptile into the fire. He was not harmed at all. The Lord was kind to Paul, and faithful to His promise to deliver the apostle to Rome so that he could tell the gospel to Caesar (Acts 27:24). But the locals interpreted it differently, assuming that as Paul had power over life and death, he must be a god. They were in awe of him, but should have worshipped the Lord Jesus.

The Lord is good because that is His nature. For us who know Him - "The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving towards all He has made" (Psalm 145:13). Therefore we can and must trust Him. For those who do not know Him, they should be encouraged to see that this token of love is designed to lead people to worship, repentance and salvation. But Romans 2:4 brings a warning: "… do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realising that God's kindness leads you towards repentance?" His kindness is both an evidence of His love and an invitation to receive more. To spurn such love is to make a shipwreck of one's life.