Last night we heard something rattling around just outside our bedroom window. We were surprised to discover an interesting snake we had never seen before. It was caught between the broken window screen and the glass. Immediately, we wanted to go out and kill it, but we decided to look it up on the computer first.
The markings on its skin were reddish-brown blotches, with a tan brown background. On its head, the markings made a triangular shape. It looked similar to a few poisonous snakes we’ve seen, but we concluded that it was a red rat snake or corn snake. This was a good snake that eats rodents and other garden pests. Some children even keep them as pets. We had almost killed an innocent, helpful creature!
Boys and girls, today in this sad world, there are some wicked people who are hurting and killing innocent people, in the name of their god or religion. One of the results is that some people now believe that religion or anything to do with God is evil and should be avoided. Satan is behind all this because he is a liar. In the Bible, he is called, “That old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan” (Revelation 20:22And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (Revelation 20:2)). Don’t listen to him!
Although the devil is too strong for any of us to deal with on our own, the Lord tells us, “Greater is He that is in you [the Lord Jesus], than he that is in the world [Satan]” (1 John 4:44Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4)). We do not need to be afraid of the devil, because after we accept the Lord Jesus into our hearts, He lives inside us. He is much stronger than Satan or anyone else, and He loves us.
We were glad to let that good snake loose from where it was caught. Now it is a helpful creature in our backyard, probably for a short time before it goes to another backyard to be a helper there. We hope nobody kills it.
ML-06/19/2016