God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. Acts 19:11=12 (NLT)
Can you imagine? Can you imagine being able to heal someone? Can you imagine being able to have a piece of clothing touch your skin and then touch someone else and heal them? And later in the chapter it says that the demon said "I know Jesus and I know Paul" (v 15). Even the demons knew his name.
I can't imagine that kind of power. It's not that I can't imagine it, I can do that. I know God has the power to do anything and it says in the passage that God gave Paul the power. What I can't imagine is being able to do that and still stay focused on God.
How do you stay humble enough to serve God and serve others when God is working in your life like that? I think as a human I'd get awfully distracted. I'd be tempted to start believing I had something to do with it. Even if you are thinking things like "Look at the way God is using me" or "Look what God is doing through me", those are not feelings of humility. And as soon as you start down that path it's a slippery slope.
How did Paul do it? He stayed connected to Jesus. He knew who had the power and where it came from. He also knew his place. In 1 Timothy 1:15 Paul said "I am the worst of all sinners." Notice the word am? He didn't say "I was." He said "I am." Currently. Presently. As I walk around healing people and leading people to Jesus, I am the worst. Paul knew deep down inside something we often refuse to think about. Paul knew that he alone had nothing to offer. It was Jesus and only Jesus. And he embraced it.
I want that. I want to know that no matter how much I do or how great it looks on the outside that I am the worst of sinners. I want to know deep down in my soul that it is about Jesus and only Jesus. It will be then that I truly understand grace.