Be Wary of the Little Snakes
Be wary of the little snakes slithering around your feet. Their strikes are often the most dangerous and their size helps them slip in unnoticed.
Just as the little bits of effort can add up to good things, the little snakes (and little bits of negatives) can add up to disaster.
We pulled up in the driveway of our new home and my husband excitedly pushed the button to open the garage. He had never had a garage. Neither had I, but it was important to him so he got to push the button first.
“Is that a snake?” I pointed to the far corner of the garage door to a small, dark spot. I walked closer and I knew it was a small, cold snake, mainly because it didn’t move either because I had approached or because the door had just opened right next to it.
It lay coiled tightly, head and tail tucked up under it, eyes closed so I was unable to see the pupils of its eyes. It was either sleeping or dead. Because of the coloring, I needed a better view.
I should note here that after 25 years in the woods by a creek, I had gotten pretty good at identifying snakes and other wildlife. And I was equally comfortable letting them hang around if they were non-venomous or relocating them if they were trouble.
My new smartphone had a camera with an incredible zoom feature, so I used it to get a closer look.
I said I was comfortable identifying snakes, not crazy enough to walk up to one that I hadn’t yet identified.
It’s almost like the snake knew I was watching because it opened its eyes, and the cat-like pupils were staring back at me.
“It’s a rattlesnake,” I announced.
Had it been any other snake, we would have urged it to be on its way or just ignored it completely. We are of the mindset that non-venomous snakes are friends, not foes.
But venomous snakes are a different story. Although I know that venomous snakes must serve a purpose in the general ecosystem (all God’s creations must have a purpose), they do not have an invitation to hang around my home.
Or do they?
Unaware of the Little Snakes
The other morning, I woke up with a start. “Those little snakes are some of the most dangerous in the world.” The dream had felt so weird, and the warning rang loud enough that I spoke it aloud.
“Huh?” My husband mumbled from his side of the bed. I never talked to him in the morning, mainly because he never remembers anything I mentioned before he’s gotten up and going. It takes about an hour before his senses catch up to him being up out of the bed.
“Just talking to myself,” I told him. He was already back asleep, so it didn’t matter.
The dream felt important. I’ve been praying for BIG DREAMS and what would be required to get me there. I’ve also been keeping my eyes open for BIG FALLS, so I have backup plans to my backup plans and have been harnessing the power of Focused Flexibility.
But I haven’t been mindful of those little snakes that might be slithering under the garage door.
What Are the Little Snakes
Everyone has little snakes that cause trouble for their lives. And different snakes cause different issues in different seasons and locations.
One year, I found a long, brown worm in my flower bed. I know worms are good for the soil, but it was unlike any worm I had ever seen. It even had a face. When I did some research, I discovered that it was actually a little snake. “They call it a worm snake because it looks like a worm,” I announced.
Only that’s not why they call it a worm snake. It’s a worm snake because it EATS worms. The very creature I wanted to protect was now in danger because of a little snake I had loosed upon my flower bed.
That’s how little snakes work.
They disguise themselves.
Little snakes will look like something we think is beneficial. It’s only after we look deeper that we discover the truth – often after we’ve allowed the little snakes to run amuck.
They hide themselves.
Little snakes are great at camouflaging to blend with the environment. You don’t even notice they are there until they reach out and bite you.
They get by unnoticed.
Little snakes or something that fades into the surroundings. The television show that everyone else is watching and talking about at church. The food that everyone else is talking about (and bringing to church). The ordinary and expected events, actions, and activities that the world has normalized. All these little snakes are unnoticed until we are determined to be aware.
Little snakes may not seem harmful, but they are like any little bit. The little bits add up to something major and before you know it, you are covered up with snakes. Not a pretty picture and definitely not the result you want.
Be watching for the little snakes.
What little snakes are slithering around your feet?
