Crazy man! That’s a copperhead!
Although I was raised in the suburbs, my parents were determined to turn me into a country girl. Nearly every weekend our family drove two and a half hours to a place we had in the woods—a log cabin—on acres of rocky, creek-crossed Ozark land. No phones, no TV—just a place to get back to nature and leave civilization behind.
And when I was five, playing on the steps of the cabin without a care in the world, a jolt of terror shot through my frame. Slithering steadily toward me was a coppery-brown snake with the look of evil in its eyes. I was petrified.
“S-s-s-snake!” I whispered loudly through the screen door. Both Mom and Dad poked their heads out.
“Oh, look!” exclaimed my dad. “A pretty little corn snake!”
Yanking me off the steps, Mom blurted, “Crazy, man! That’s a copperhead!”
Word for word, that’s what they said. It’s etched in the gray matter of my mind forever.
Dad, ever the protector, did what any sane man unaccustomed to pit vipers would do. He picked up a large concrete block and heaved it down onto the unsuspecting creature. It writhed, but it didn’t die.
“Use a hoe!” my mom urged. She had been raised in the country; my dad had been raised in town. He didn’t know any better.
Soon the copperhead was copperhead-less. But to make sure that it really was a copperhead and not a harmless little corn snake like he first suspected, Dad proceeded to pry its mouth open with sticks. Sure enough, out came the telltale fangs.
I learned two lessons from this situation. First, the importance of accurate identification. Can you tell the difference between the poisonous and non-poisonous snakes in your life? Not many of us will ever need to distinguish between snakes (is that a sigh of relief I’m hearing?), but each one of us is called to discern between soul and spirit (see Hebrews 4:12) and between good and evil (Hebrews 5:14).
To paraphrase Hebrews 5:14, my mom—by reason of being raised in the country around snakes—was trained to discern between venomous and non-venomous snakes. My dad was new to identifying snakes because he hadn’t lived around them, but he didn’t remain undiscerning. He studied field guides about mid-western snakes after that to “show himself approved” when it came to the subject. He never wanted to demonstrate his ignorance about snakes in front of his family ever again.
You, too, must study to show yourself approved to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the Word of truth (see 2 Timothy 2:15). It is interesting to note that the tool by which you will not only be able to distinguish between good and evil but also to discern between soul and spirit is a Book—the Word of God. I remember seeing my dad pour over snake books to prepare for any chance copperhead encounter in the future. For you, a believer, the stakes are even higher; you are called to discern between good and evil, soul and spirit every day—practically every minute of your life! The one true handbook adequate for the task is the Word of God.
Secondly, I saw that it was imperative to wield the proper weapon. If you are unaccustomed to using the Word of God in dealing with issues, you might try to take up the nearest concrete block you can find—the arm of the flesh—to destroy your foe. If this is the route you take, you may create a ripple on the enemy’s radar, but you won’t stop him—he’s likely to swing back and strike you with more vengeance than ever.
But good news! The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword (or garden hoe), and it’s sufficient to deal death blows to the strategies of darkness slithering toward your cabin door. Fill up on the field guide—God’s Word—and be prepared not only to identify your enemy when he approaches, but also to stop him dead in his tracks!
Dorothy