The leaders in our scout troop recently returned from a wilderness survival training session. During one of the sessions, the instructor told a story about a woman who kept a 12 foot albino Burmese python as a pet. Initially, it lived in a contained environment, but as it grew and the owner became more comfortable with it, she eventually let it have free range of the house and even let it sleep in the same room with her.
One day, she noticed that her pet had stopped eating, consistently refusing its favorite meals. Concern for its health, she loaded the snake into her car and took it to a vet who specialized in exotic animals to see if someone could determine what was wrong with her python. After hearing the owner describe its symptoms and giving the snake a quick check-up, the doctor advised her to euthanize it immediately since this was perfectly normal behavior…. for a constrictor that was preparing itself for a large meal! Yikes!! The reality was that the snake was planning to eat its owner! (or at least TRY)
I admit I know nothing about snakes or the validity of this story, but true or not, this creepy account carries a powerful message for believers who have invited sin into their lives thinking that they can safely cohabit with it indefinitely.
No matter how much you become accustomed to sin, rationalize its existence, and even treat it as a familiar and welcome member of the family, there just isn’t any way to tame it and make it subservient to you. And even though it may seem convenient, comfortable, even useful;
It is not your friend.
It is not harmless.
It is not submissive.
It does not benefit you in the long run.
It is not your companion.
The truth is that sin is a stone-cold, dispassionate killer, and it has but one goal: to hunt you down and destroy you.
Romans 6:23 is clear that “the wages of sin is death.” And James chapter 1 is very clear about the innate nature of sin, reminding us of the ultimate destiny of those who live with unbridled desire. Verse 14-15 say “each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” Every time you allow sin to take up residence … whether in your actions, attitudes or in the hidden recesses of your thoughts… you invite the process of death to begin. And the longer you harbor, feed and care for it, the more dangerous it becomes.
The same remedy the veterinarian prescribed for the python’s eminent threat is good advice for us as well. Paul said it this way in Colossians 3:5 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature” and in Romans 8:6, he gives us this warning and hope. “if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”
So take a moment to look around your spiritual household with fresh eyes. Search every corner and crevice for areas of disobedience and compromise. Think about what you’ve invited and welcomed into your life that has the power to complete devour everything good and beneficial.
Then, listen to the counsel of your Heavenly Father. He loves you and, like any loving parent who desires safety for his children, commands us to throw these things out! It’s an effective way to show devotion and dedication to your Savior, and it’s for your own good!
I am panicking over the story at the beginning – I really hope it isn’t true. Who would let a python sleep in their room??? Very good parallel, though, and I’ll probably be using this story in a Family Home Evening (kind of like a weekly family devotional) with my kids! Thanks.
I think there are some people who like snakes and would let a non-poisonous snake loose in their house. But yes, it’s totally a creepy story to think something you have become accustomed to and cared for would turn on you like that. But then that’s exactly what God tells us about sin! It’s great that you want to use this example with your kids. The younger they learn this lesson the better!!
What a wonderful post! Snakes are perfect for teaching about sin. I’m not a snake fan, I know enough about them to RUN, RUN, RUN AWAY as fast as I can. 🙂 Thank you for sharing this truth with Thankful Thursdays.
I’m with you, Lori. Run away! And that’s exactly what Paul tells us to do too. FLEE temptation! I hope I can remember to do just that every time I’m confronted with sin! Thanks for adding to the conversation!
Karen, this is such a powerful post and it really gave me pause to examine my own life and habits I’ve let creep in. “Search every corner and crevice for areas of disobedience and compromise.” – Wise counsel, my friend. The story of the boa really brought it home, and EW! I can’t believe someone would just let a python have free range in the home!!! Ack!!!
Anyway, I love your blog’s premise (switchbacks – that picture brings it home) and I love this post. That’s why I’m featuring it on my blog for next Tuesday Talk! I copied your snake pic in order to make the feature complete – I hope that’s ok with you?
Thanks for sharing with us again this week, Karen. See you next Tuesday!
Thank you for reading and for sharing the post on your site! I wont easily forget that story either! Thanks Ruthie!
This reminds me of the surprise stories loaded with morals that O.Henry used to write. 🙂 I so enjoyed this lesson in wisdom.
You are right, we are hunted down but we are overcomers by His blood and greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. (John 4:4)
Blessings,
Dawn
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory! So glad that we have Him to warn us before its too late!
Yikes! I can’t imagine living with that snake but really can’t imagine knowing it was preparing for its biggest meal—me. ha. Throw off everything that hinders! Thanks for sharing this; it will stick in my mind.
Neither can I, Lisa! I don’t want to be devoured by a snake … or sin! Thanks for commenting!
Oh my! That gave me the creepies! I love snakes, they are beautiful creatures of this planet. A friend of ours had a constrictor, huge, ceiling to floor length. If I told him this story he’d probably be glad Diamond was stolen.
I do like the point of your post. The analogy (please tell me I used the correct word there!) between sin and the snake.
Saying ‘Hi!’ from A Little R & R
Kristine 🙂
Yes, you are right. The analogy is between sin and the snake who the owner treated like a pet, but whose real intent was on her destruction. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks Karen for a thought invoking truth on sin. It’s easy to settle for Christian complacency and assume we don’t need to examine ourselves. I used to believe since God has forgiven me then it was unnecessary for me look at my sins. I found this outlook was superficial and kept my faith idle. I have come to the same conclusion as you that by seeing our sins, confessing them and living in repentance the devil flees and we draw closer to Christ. I’m glad God has crossed our paths.
It’s easy to become complacent with sin and so deceive ourselves about the danger of sin. You’re right that we have to constantly check ourselves to make sure we are on the path to righteousness. Appreciate your comments Walter.
Very powerful and wise words here, Karen! The more we focus on God and stay connected to Him, the more we become like Him. He gives us the power to do what pleases Him. Linking up with you at From House to Home.
I think that’s exactly what Paul was saying when he encouraged us to “set our minds on things above.” Thanks for stopping by, Alisa!
Karen, very much enjoyed reading your comparison. Sin can eat us alive if we don’t learn to repent and turn away from it. Thank God for his strength that helps us do so! So very nice to “meet” you. Happy to have found you today at #LivefreeThursday.
Your comparison here is very vivid. Will remember for a long time.
Well done.
We need to wise up and stop letting the devil fool us into believing that some sins are harmless! Sin can be pleasurable, if it wasn’t it wouldn’t be a temptation, but it’s akin to the pleasure derived from eating a delicious chocolate cake every day that is laced with a slow acting poison. If you knew the cake was laced was poison, you wouldn’t eat it, no matter how delicious. So why would we allow sin into how lives, no matter how pleasurable it may appear? We need to stop acting like idiots!!!!
I agree Matthew. Sin is so deceiving that we often believe that we are exceptions to God’s Laws when no one ever gets away with violating his truth. The best thing we can ever do is agree with God about sin and rid ourselves of it.
God said to Cain BEFORE he killed Abel, “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”
It has been my experience that whenever the enemy is planning to attack you God always prepares you to defeat the attack.
The Bible says He will with the temptation make a way of escape. 1 Corinthians 10:13
In the grand scenario of life the only variable is us!
Satan will always do what he does best, Steal, Kill and Destroy.
God will always do what He does best, Save, Deliver and Bless.
The deciding Will is ours… We determine who prevails and who doesn’t
Excellent verse from Genesis to add to the conversation! God does enable us to win the battle with sin through the power of His Spirit, but we have to begin by seeing its danger and resisting its lure. And the quicker we do that, the easier it is to walk in liberty. Thanks for stopping by!
wonderful post
Loved this! Truly, sin is not your friend nor is it harmless.
Great post! That is a really powerful analogy. It is easy to forget how serious sin is but the consequences are devastating and we do have to be ruthless in putting it to death.
When we don’t see sin the way God does, we become deceived and get into all kinds of dangerous situations that could be avoided. And yes, we have to set aside our affections and rationalizations and be ruthless in ridding ourselves of sin. Thanks be to God who never stops reminding us of His love and watchcare over us! Appreciate your comments, Carly!
What a great post! I was not excited about reading about snakes but…wow…what a powerful message. Thanks so much for sharing. Blessed to be your neighbor. Blessings to you too!
I don’t like snakes either, but when I heard that story, I knew God had something to say through it that was too important to ignore! Thanks for stopping by!
Wow! Wonderful truth and wisdom here …and motivating! The strength and will to obey God faithfully takes an enduring amount of prayer and time in His Word. Great to visit your space!
Happy Wednesday!
Megs
#TellHisStory
Thanks for stopping by to join the conversation Meg. Yes, we must commit to obey and follow, even when it means parting with something dear to us.
Wow…what an awesome analogy, Karen. Just to imagine and then trying to visualize a huge snake trying to eat it’s master is certainly quite gruesome. It is true that we can sometimes have blinders on when it comes to sin…we may try to call it something else just to make it a little more acceptable. Thank you for calling it like it truly is and I hope to always use this “image” as a reminder to myself! Enjoy the rest of your week 🙂
It is a creepy thought, but then that’s exactly what sin does… devours and devours until it has consumed everything that is good and godly in our lives. We need to learn to believe God enough to listen when He warns us against things that seem acceptable to us. Thanks Debby!