In describing the racist culture in the United States during the Sixties and comparing that culture to the disposition of a snake, Muhamed Ali once asked, “If 10,000 snakes were coming down that aisle now, and I had a door that I could shut, and in that 10,000, 1,000 that meant right, 1,000 rattlesnakes didn’t wanna bite me, I knew they were good… Should I let all those [10 thousand] rattlesnakes come down, hoping that that thousand get together and form a shield [around me]? But that is the reputation of snakes – not trustable!
The bad boy snakes.
The snake has had an ominous reputation from creation. In the introduction of the snake in the first book of the Bible, it is described as crafty, another word for sly or treacherous. A person who is called a snake is deemed hypocritical, deceitful, treacherous or a backstabber. Many put Judas in the category of a snake.
When people have devious friends, they call them rattlesnakes.
“Some will eat and drink with you, then behind them su-su ‘pon you, only your friend knows your secrets, So only he could reveal it. Some will hate you, pretend they love you now, then behind [you] they try to eliminate you” (Marley). That is the quintessential definition of a snake – someone who disguises as a comrade but is positioned to take you down. In Acts 28: 3, a viper bit Paul in the typical fashion of a serpent – by hiding in the firewood.
I had someone who said to everyone in my presence that I was his best friend. Then one of my bosses patched me in on a phone call with 2 other supervisors of mine, unknowingly my so-called best friend. The venom this guy was spewing on me just because he was seeking a supervisory position. Then he comes out smiling with me as though nothing had happened.
Every one of us knows a crawler like that. They may be your sister or brother, close friend or coworker, but treachery is always seen as serpent-like.
Matthew 3:7: But when [John] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
In Matthew 12: 34, concerning the hypocrisy and treachery of the Pharisees, Jesus also described them as a brood of vipers – among the most venomous snakes on the planet. Revelation 12:9 refers to Satan as a serpent.
The Good Snake.
How is it that Jesus refers to the Pharisees as vipers – people who are treacherous, hypocritical and devious; and Revelation places them in the same class as Satan himself, but yet, Jesus turns around and says you ought to be wise as serpents? How is it that Jesus is holding the snake up as a mentor for wisdom, as a model of good judgment? Not only that. In the bible, a snake is used as a metaphor for the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. In John 3: 14 -15, he said: And as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Matthew 10:16: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
You realize in this text; Jesus sends them out as sheep among wolves. Now how are sheep supposed to survive among blood-thirsty predators such as wolves?
How? They take on the attitude and skill set of the serpent.
In order for Christians to penetrate darkness, in order for them to invade the kingdom of the prince of darkness, snakelike qualities are required.
In that case, what are the reptilian traits that Christians ought to adopt to win the world?
The patience of the snake.
Snakes are incredibly patient animals. They can wait for long periods without moving, often for hours or even days, while hunting or waiting for prey to come close. This reflects a deep sense of stillness and mindfulness in nature. Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. I know of a church which took more than 40 years to grow from 30 members. Forty years later it is one of the most thriving congregations in that place.
The Bible says “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Like the snake, another text says, “Wait, I say on the Lord!
The perpetual remaking of the snake.
Snakes shed their skin regularly, symbolizing renewal, growth, and leaving the past behind. This process, called ecdysis, highlights their ability to constantly grow and adapt. In the process of continual growth and renewal, the Apostle Paul says: “I affirm, brothers and sisters, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, that I die daily”
A snake for every situation.
One effective skill for reptiles is Camouflage:
Again Paul says “I become all men to all people so I can win some.” We have to be what seems impossible to reach the world for Jesus. Because we put the kingdom first, in our daily lives we are actors putting on a disguise to infiltrate this world. Some of us must act as teachers, some as nurses, some have to act as politicians to win the world. Our profession and positions are only disguises to help us invade the kingdom of darkness.
1Cor. 9:21, “To those not having the law I became like one not having the law, so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” So, for the sake of the kingdom, camouflage!
The undaunted serpent.
Not intimidated by the size of the prey.
Sometimes we fear the idea of talking to people who are bigger than us or have more education; we fear because cultures are different from ours; we fear because other religions seem to have overtaken the community; we fear because we do not know enough bible to preach to them; we fear that we might be arrested in some places. But that is not the attitude of the snake: it does not matter the size of the prey (Monroe), the snake says I’ve got it! The snake is not intimidated by the lion, the tiger, the giraffe or the elephant. Jesus said do not worry about what you will speak because the holy spirit will put in your mouth what you ought to say.
Just like the snake does not discriminate the size or the type of prey, we do not discriminate as to who does or who does not need Jesus.
Brothers and sisters, we are sent out like sheep among grievous wolves. Not only that but there is also a lion out there seeking to devour us. To move from surviving to thriving we have to borrow a page from the serpents’ playbook.