The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 28:3-5, “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 itself on his hand. 4 When the natives saw the creature

hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another,

‘Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved

from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.’ 5 However he shook

the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.”

Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness result in tragedy.

Sometimes, the assessment of the tragedy is wrong. Paul’s

Helpfulness in gathering wood for the fire resulted in a viper,

a snake, to bit him on the hand. Owing that it was a snake,

we can assess that Satan was seeking to take Paul’s life

before he could reach Rome. Still, the promise of the LORD

that he would reach Rome was sustained as his hand suffered

no after effects.

Also of interest here is the assessment of the natives. Their

immediate thought was that Paul was a murderer. He had

been, but by the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ, he had

been forgiven of those acts. He had also escaped from the

peril of the sea and the shipwreck. But the native people

believed that “justice has not allowed him to live.” These

natives, living far from civilization, possessed a concept of

justice! They did not say “God” or even “the gods.” Their

words were an expression of humanism. Still, there was

a consciousness of right and wrong. Be assured that all

people have a consciousness of right and wrong. I do;

don’t you? When I do wrong, I “feel” wrong. And I look to

the LORD for forgiveness. The LORD has put that

sensitivity within all of men. It is accentuated by the Holy Spirit

in the lives of believers. We should follow the Spirit’s lead,

and the LORD will deliver us from temptation.

May the LORD bless and protect you from all wrong,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas