In the Lord's kindness, Paul and all the shipwrecked people made it safely to shore. The Maltese islanders were kind, welcoming the survivors and lighting a fire on the beach to warm and dry the sodden seafarers (Acts 28:1-2). When a venomous snake latched onto Paul's hand, the Lord protected him from any ill effects. Although the superstitious locals were wrong in assuming that Paul was a god, having power over death (Acts 28:3-6), they were keen to bring him to the island's chief officer.

Publius was also kind, doubtless providing food and clothing to Paul, Luke, Aristarchus (Acts 27:2) and any others who had been allowed to travel with him. It seems that Julius the centurion was quite relaxed about his prisoner being honoured in that way: after all, he knew that his life had been saved through Paul's intervention (Acts 27:30-32, 42-44). The Lord had been kind to everybody because Paul listened to Him and was confident to give God's message to his shipmates (Acts 27:21-26).

The father of Publius was ill, in the same house where they were staying, with a serious intestinal infectious disease. Again, the Lord was kind to Publius as Paul prayed for the old man; he was healed. Also, nobody else in the house caught the disease from the diarrhoea or its contamination of water or food. Pagan Publius was remarkably kind to them, in sharp contrast to the religious leaders in Jerusalem whose hatred had precipitated the long and dangerous journey to Rome.

The Lord is kind; because He loves us, He provides for our needs (Jeremiah 31:3). Often He will use other people, and not necessarily those with saving faith. He commands anyone He chooses to be kind to His people, and those who are not yet His people (Psalm 145:13, 17). It is His nature and covenant promise (Isaiah 54:10), but it comes with the responsibility to recognise where the kindness comes from; to repent and trust Him (Romans 2:4), and give Him thanks and praise (1 Chronicles 16:34).