#1985

Smile on the Face of a Snake

“She remembered the story from her childhood, about Adam and Eve in the garden, and the talking snake. Even as a little girl she had said - to the consternation of her family - What kind of idiot was Eve, to believe a snake? But now she understood, for she had heard the voice of the snake and had watched as a wise and powerful man had fallen under its spell.
Eat the fruit and you can have the desires of your heart. It's not evil, it's noble and good. You'll be praised for it.
And it's delicious.” 

― Orson Scott Card, Shadow of the Hegemon

The most complex creation that our creator God created was the mind of a human being.

           

            Before the Earth was formed, in the council chambers of eternity, God chose us for life. It is beyond my comprehension that anyone can destroy a human life...a human mind. I truly believe that in the future, abortion will be declared as insane as was slavery. The human mind is the only of animals that knows it's going to die. Other animal species, from those without backbones, to those who have superior mentality and a comprehension of life. This writer has been blessed to see animal life all over the world...herds of Elephants in Africa, Wildebeests, Buffalo. I saw animals, so perfect in their outerwear, that they blended totally with the bushes. I saw thousands of Hippos in rivers...lined up so that they looked like a cobblestone street. With all the grandeur of so many animals, WHY did God feel it necessary to create insects? Like Mosquitoes, house-flies, or other pests like termites? Or, why was it necessary for God to create a snake; especially a talking one?

            And so it was that henpecked Adam stood right there and saw his wife Eve submit to the temptation of a talking snake. Think about this job, in Africa, as well as in Florida, I saw snake farms where snakes were produced for their venom, to fight snake-bites (cure).  On one of the worst days of my life, a photography safari in Africa, the weather so hot I could hardly breathe...for some strange reason, the very same day, I was charged by a rouge Elephant, and almost bitten by the most poisonous of all snakes. But there, as here, as in every day of my life, Grace was there for me to live through it all. The greater question, why do human beings have such a fascination with snakes? I live in the tourist section of a large City...right on the riverbank. Within throwing distance of my home is a herpetarium, where a crazy couple charges people to see their snakes. They had a large collection, and I always felt that if a hurricane came through and headed straight for those buildings, tearing them all down that those snakes would head right for my house. Maybe all that worry is over. In the past year, the woman killed her husband in the living quarters above their "snake-show."

            My own father almost died from snake venom, bitten one night when he walked barefoot to the tobacco-curing barns. Back then, early 20th century, few automobiles, his brother had to hitch up a buggy and go to town to get the doctor. The first cars were owned by Doctors, and one Doctor came out to our farm and saved his life. But, we always had such a hatred for snakes...their slimy, putrid, useless lives. I cannot believe that snakes have ever done any good, except for the world to know that sin entered the world because people could not follow instructions, "Don't touch that tree." And, God sent his only son to crush the head of the serpent, and deliver those who would grasp his righteousness; a true sacrifice for all sin.

            The snake must surely smile when he sees human-beings submitting to temptation...we never learned anything; addictions, adultery, abominations of every sort, all because the human-being is conquered instead of being the conqueror.  You do not teach a child to sin. It is in us from birth. If only we could teach, preach, portend that man's only redemption/salvation is in the precious blood of Jesus; shed for our sins, the perfect sacrifice to redeem us forever from the snare/smile of a snake.