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. 4 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
Imagine the scene:
"So a snake bit him? He must be a murderer condemned by God to die."
"He diidn't die? What? He's alive and well. Never mind, he must be God."
There are those whose loyalty is only one misfortune away from evaporating and those whose opposition is only one miracle away from repenting. These are those in whom no stock should be placed. They will applaud you one day and jeer you the next. Their support cannot be assumed and their praise should not assure you in the least. They like what they like as long as they like and don't like what they don't as long as they don't. They will elect you today and impeach you tomorrow. They will promote you this moment and plot to take you down the next.
Do not place your stability in the hands of fickle men.
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