Shake it Off and Keep Building

Acts 28:3, 5, ESV

When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. … He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.

Paul could have just sat around, enjoying the warmth of the fire and waiting on others to build it, but that’s not what he did. He participated in building it.  

And that’s what we’re called to do too.  

We're not called to merely sit around and enjoy the fire while other people build it, we’re called to be fire-builders.

The presence of God, the Spirit of God, and the power of God are all represented by fire throughout the Bible. We carry God’s presence, we house God’s Spirit, and we possess God’s power—all for the purpose of building God’s Kingdom.

So, just keep building. 

The snake might bite the one who takes the initiative to build the fire—but just keep building. 

Don’t over-emphasize the bite. 

Shake it off, and keep building the fire!