Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.—Acts 28:1-2
You can’t outgive God. He sees all. Compassion is a universal language. The natives’ acts of unusual kindness to Paul and his shipmates was repaid…pressed down, shaken together and running over! Paul healed the father of Publius, the island’s leading citizen of dysentery, as well as the rest of those on the island who had any diseases.
For God [is] not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, [in that] you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.—Hebrews 6:10
Scripture is silent as to whether the gospel was preached at Malta, but my read on it says that it was. In the previous Chapter Paul says this to the crew and his shipmates:
However, we must run aground on a certain island."—Acts 27:26 (emphasis mine)
His words reminded me of Jesus’ words to His disciples about needing to go through Samaria in John 4. There He met the woman at the well and the gospel was preached in Samaria.
1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), 3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria.—John 4:1-4 (emphasis mine)
The natives understood that murder was wrong and that evil people were punished. Paul writes this in Romans 2:
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?—Romans 2:14,15,27
By making Paul immune from the effects of the viper, God made a way for the Gospel to be received and the One, true God worshipped. One act of “unusual” kindness by the natives on a “certain” island caused an eternal ripple effect that would be “heard” the world over.
Beloved…God had a plan for both Paul’s detour and His own through Samaria, and God has a plan for each and everything that happens in our lives as well.
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!—Romans 11:33
And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."—Matthew 10:42
[Be] kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;—Romans 12:10
