My daughter gave me one of those adorable handwritten “All About Mom” questionnaires she filled out in Sunday School last week for Mother’s Day. I chuckled when I read it. My job is to watch kids (I only watch my own!) and my favorite food is brownies. I laugh when she does silly things and we like to swim together.

She also wrote, “My mom always says, ‘Watch out for snakes.'” We have snakes on the farm and I am always warning the kids to watch out for snakes. My oldest son can spot a snake a mile away so when I’m outdoors, I prefer to have him right by my side! He has saved me numerous times from snake encounters. But a couple of weeks ago, I actually stepped ON a snake because I was walking through high grass, not paying attention and stepped right on it!!! Thankfully it wasn’t poisonous but it could’ve been! 

As a mom, I want to protect my children from  evil and all the negative influences of the world. I want to protect them from the “snakes”. Sigh. If only we could live in a bubble of God’s beauty and only experience positive influences. But then we would be without opportunities to grow and develop our character, to become compassionate towards hurting people, to fully depend on the Lord.

Last month, while we were shopping in Walmart, we saw an employee scrubbing gobs of wet paint off of a paint display. She was muttering under her breath about “dumb kids destroying property”. My children stared wide-eyed at the mess and whispered, “Someone made a very bad choice.”

 Yes, some teenagers made a bad choice. Bad choices perhaps influenced by “snakes”…

Snakes aren’t just on the farm, hiding deep within the tall grasses. “Snakes” can be our values, music, idols, video games or television shows. We are seriously and dangerously influenced by what we watch, see and listen to. Garbage in, garbage out.

When we allow our children to watch seemingly harmless cartoons, they begin to mimic what they see. The attitude of the little smart mouthed teen on the Disney channel who rolls her eyes at her parents and disregards authority begins to manifest itself in our children. They begin to talk back to us, just a little at first, and then a little more and it doesn’t stop. They continue this slippery slope until they are openly defiant of all authority.

We need to be careful of the enemy and aware of our surroundings. The enemy seeks to destroy us in every way. In 1 Peter 5:8 we read, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walks about, seeking whom he may devour.” 

I’ve heard countless times over the last several years about families being under attack and it’s true. The enemy is a crafty and conniving one and it’s no wonder more people don’t realize his influence until it’s too late. Like that cartoon I mentioned earlier? It seems so innocent, right? 

Mom is busy or just needs a break so she tells the kids to watch the television just for a little while. The kids pick up subtle nuances throughout the show and before you know it, they are acting just like the characters on the show. Their negative attitudes begin to wear on the family and before you know it, mom and dad are fighting too and the whole family unit goes down the drain. 

This isn’t a coincidence. This is the work of the devil. Of Satan. Our greatest enemy. As we begin this week, let’s be extra cautious of our surroundings. Let’s be sober and vigilant. Let’s protect our families from the enemy who is seeking to devour us by putting on the whole armour of God every single day.

“Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” –Ephesians 6:11-13

Until next time,