One of the realities of living in a more country setting with sandy loam soil is having to face copperhead snakes. These snakes are poisonous and can exact a pretty terrible price on its victims. However, they’re not to be feared, but are to be respected.
I grew in my respect for these little critters of God’s creation the first night my family and I moved to our new home. We had just finished cleaning out all the remaining knick-knack items from our previous house, it was dark (around 10:30PM), and we were getting ready to settle in to our first night of RV camping (we stayed in an RV on site while renovating the house).
No sooner had I set our chicken waterer down next to a tree than I heard the leaves shift next to my right hand. I quickly grabbed my phone flashlight and saw a little copperhead (about a foot long) quickly slither off out of reach.
I was certainly surprised. My wife was shocked. The kids didn’t really know what happened until later.
That was a close call. Really close. I was fortunate not to have been hit on the hand with a little dose of his poison. I wasn’t, but it was a learning experience nonetheless.
What did I learn?
- My guard was down.
- It was dark. Bugs come out when it’s dark. Snakes hunt bugs in the dark. So, this snake was doing what all snakes do when they’re hungry…hunt!
- I was so wrapped up in my situation and circumstances that I didn’t take into account all the dangers around me.
- Lesson: Life’s dangers are constantly around us. Therefore, we need to be people who walk circumspectly (seeing all around us), instead of walking myopically (can’t see far away).
- Respect the creation.
- There are critters and creatures who can do some serious harm to humans.
- I had a very close call with one of them. It could have led to fear, but it didn’t. It lead to respect. I accepted the reality that on our new property, we must live with the potential of danger. Life is not a vacuum.
- Lesson: Don’t let fear grip you, but instead turn fear into respect. Walk through life respecting danger…not fearing it.
- Subdue my home and property.
- I went out the next night to see if that little copperhead snake was at his tree. He was. I killed him.
- Part of being a shepherd of God’s creation is being a shepherd of my family.
- While I know that snakes do serve a purpose in God’s created order, the poison they also carry has potential to harm my family in a serious way. As a result of that, they are invaders when they are on the premises where my family plays, runs, walks, and enjoys living. I can’t control every aspect of my family’s safety, but in the areas that I am able…I most certainly will.
- Lesson: Be a shepherd of not only your family, but your own personal life. What dangers or harmful things are you allowing into your sphere of living? Be a shepherd. Subdue.
“God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.””
Genesis 1:28
— July 3, 2020