Good Samaritan United Methodist Church

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Read Acts 28:1-31 John Brawn

At first blush, these final chapters of Acts read like the travel log of a super hero. Paul predicts and survives a shipwreck, shakes off a lethal snake bite, heals people, preaches, teaches and makes new friends, all while traveling to Rome over a period of many months. Even the end is like a super hero movie, leaving plenty of room for a sequel.

When I read chapter 28, everything that I know about Paul is along with me for the ride. I somehow expect that people will be welcoming to him, and treat him deferentially. After all, he's Paul! He's a super hero!

But when I read it again with a view toward the people he meets, the story takes on a somewhat different character.

Paul, along with 275 other people had been subject to a devastating storm which has pushed their sailing ship downwind, out of control and off course. For 14 days the storm forced the soldiers, sailors and prisoners on that
ship to go mostly without eating. I think it's also a fair guess that the folks on the boat let personal grooming slide for a while. Then their vessel finally breaks up and they make their way to the closest island by clinging to wooden planks, railings, masts and other debris broken off from
their boat.

The people who lived on the island of Malta only had what they could see to use as a reference for deciding who Paul was: A ragged, stinking, water-logged man -- one of a couple hundred ragged, stinking, water-logged folks.

By the goodness of their basic nature, the islanders welcomed the survivors and set about to meet their basic needs; fire, food, a place to sleep -- and not just over night, but for 3 months until arrangements could be made for them to sail on again toward Rome!

The relationship between Paul and the islanders started to become special and extraordinary from that very first evening. They observed Paul as he was bitten by a deadly snake. And yet it didn't seem to affect him. Soon after that Paul healed the father of the island's leader. Word spread and people from all over the island came to Paul to be healed, and they were.

We read that Paul and his companions were honored in many ways, and given everything they needed when it was time to leave.

So I wonder... Was there anything the islanders could have seen in the drenched, hungry, desperate and shipwrecked men who washed up on the shore of Malta that would hint at the importance to the island that one of them
would make? There were sailors with their captain and soldiers with their centurion, and prisoners. And yet the islanders must have welcomed and paid attention to everyone in order to notice Paul's encounter with a viper. And as Paul continued to speak and act, they related to him based on those things, rather than his appearance, possessions, occupation, or status. How else could they learn that Paul the shipwreck survivor is also Paul the
teacher and Paul the healer?

For me this is a challenging thought. As we continue to welcome people into our church life through service projects, special events and worship, there is no way to estimate who among them may have a profoundly positive
influence on our lives by looking at their appearance, or noting their age, occupation, status, wealth, or by any other "normal" measure. If I "mind my own business" and let them "fend for themselves", then I have surely cut myself off from God's efforts to enrich my life and increase my
understanding and faith.

Prayer: Lord, build in me a Maltese-like spirit of care and welcoming. Help me look for you in the people I meet. Teach me to respond to people's words and actions and ignore social measures of worth. And remind me to be
generous. Amen.