You Knew I Was a Snake
“…but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)
There is an old Native American story of a Cherokee boy out in the woods. He runs across an old, injured rattlesnake on a path. The snake calls out to him, “Please, little boy. Can you take me to the top of the mountain? I want to see the sunset one last time before I die.” The little boy answered, “No, Mr. Rattlesnake! If I pick you up, you will bite me and I will die!” The rattlesnake cried out to him, “No, I promise. I will not harm you. Please help me and take me to the top of the mountain.”
After thinking about it, the little boy picked up the snake, held him close to his chest, and took him to the mountaintop. That evening, he tucked the snake closely to his chest again and took him home to give him a nice meal and a warm place to rest for the night.
The next day the rattlesnake turned to the boy and asked, “Please little boy, can you take me home now? It is time for me to leave this world and I would like to die in peace at my home.” So the boy carefully picked up the snake and again tucked him closely to his chest and escorted him back into the woods.
Just before the boy put the rattlesnake down, the snake lashed out and bit the boy in the chest. The venom quickly took hold on the boy and he began to die. The betrayed boy questioned, “Mr. Snake, why did you do this to me? You made me a promise. I nursed you back to health. Why?” As the snake slid away, he simply looked back and hissed, “You knew what I was when you picked me up.”
Instinctively, we know that “stuff” does not make us happy. The dopamine rush we get from the next gadget, piece of clothing or vehicle makes us feel good for a little while, but soon the emptiness sets in and we remember that nothing of this world will satisfy us.
Don’t be deceived! Do not invite a rattlesnake into your life. Do not compromise or fool yourself into believing that materialism is not a sin. You would not invite a rattlesnake into your home, so why do you invite materialism into your life? Guard your heart against materialism.
Jesus, protect my heart from the sin of materialism. Help me to have restraint and to understand that true life is found in You, and in no one, or nothing else.