It’s that time of year again where snakes are out and about. On Facebook, I have seen snakes in the water, dead snakes in yards, snakes in boats, snakes in toilets, and somebody posted a snake hiding in their car’s door frame- that is just downright un-Godly to think about!! Parker, our sweet grandson, was playing in our driveway and gasped with his hand over his mouth and said, ” I saw something move fa–aast!!!” across our driveway. I am convinced he saw a snake and I am like, “um no, NOT UP IN HERE!!!”

David and I were walking outside the other night and I realized we had left the front door wide open. As I walked back to close it, the terrifying thought hit me, “what if a snake slithered into our home??” This started my mind thinking about what we would do if one of those creatures was in our house; I mean, it could be ANYWHERE. Would David and I search until we got completely exhausted and then if it wasn’t found, shrug our shoulders in frustration, and just go to bed hoping for the best? HECK TO THE NO. We would search. We would seek. We would be in snake killing, stealth mode. This is OUR house. God gave us dominion over creepy things ( can I get an amen?!). We would look and if it was not found, we would call in reinforcement. No surrender- that thing has got to go.

This made me think about sin and the things we allow in our home. We may not invite it in, but we don’t approach sin with the same hate and disdain. Why are we content with the silent killers residing in our homes while we go about our daily lives like nothing could happen. Now, you may be thinking, “Come on Courtnay, we don’t allow junk in our home.” I want to challenge us because to some extent, we all do. For example, David and I are vigilant with media. We are very careful to guard our eyes and ears- we put filters and blocks on our devices. But what about the sin of busy-ness? What about the sin of pride- believing we are right when the word of God says we are wrong. What about words that cut instead of encourage? What about apologies we never deliver or prayers we don’t pray?

I read a story recently of a couple that bought a pet Burmese python. When it was small, the kids would hold it and the everyone thought it was so cool. A Burmese python may be cool ( please don’t send me hate mail…), but a python is created to squeeze the life out of it’s prey. That’s what it does and was created to do. One day, the parents came home to find the snake wrapped around their deceased, teenage child. Such a horrific tragedy, truly. My point is that the Word of God tells us in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Just like a dangerous reptile, sin brings death. That is what it does. If sin didn’t lead to death, why would God have sent His only Son to die as payment for my sin debt?

John 10:10 reminds us that, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus came so that our homes can be a place of refuge and strength. He wants our lives to be filled with peace, joy, and contentment. Satan’s only plan is to kill, steal, and destroy. As Christians, we recognize “the big, obvious sins.” However, just like a snake sneaking in an unattended, cracked door, the Enemy comes into our homes to destroy us. At first, we may make peace with the snake. After all, in this world, what we are allowing isn’t THAT bad, right? We can excuse, entertain, and ignore the sin until it steals our joy, destroys our relationships, and keeps us from living the full lives Christ died for us to have.

Let’s commit as Christians to guard our hearts and homes as the precious, God-given blessings that they are. Let’s use the word of God as our “snake -away” and destroy any sin that keeps us from living the blessed life He means for us to have.

(By the way, if a literal snake gets in our house, please forward any correspondence to us at the closest Holiday Inn until it’s dead.)

Courtnay Aycock