Even those not inherently squeamish about snakes are uneasy about a phenomenon occurring in Florida. Former pet owners of Burmese Pythons probably started releasing them in south Florida back in the late 1990s. On February 4, personnel found an 18-foot specimen in the Everglades. That they are huge predators was already a known fact. Yet, researchers from Davidson College and members of the U.S. Geological Survey organization trapped six of these snakes and moved them 13 to 20 miles away. In less than a year, all six had navigated to within three miles of their original location. This means these huge creatures are capable of “homing,” whether by sight, smell, or by way of the earth’s magnetic field (Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 3/19/14).
As unsettling for some of us as that idea might seem, there is a predator far more deadly than that whose cunning and wiles are even greater. Satan, called “that serpent of old,” is said to have “devices” (2 Cor. 2:11), and is depicted by Peter as being predatory (1 Pet. 5:8). While he is not able to make us do evil—that’s something we do ourselves (Js. 1:13-15), he is subtle and beguiling and desires our destruction.
The implication of the article and those researchers is that moving the snake is not the answer. They make their way back. The answer is to destroy the snake. As we fight temptations in our lives, we must be aggressively proactive! We must take radical, decisive steps to keep the snake from coming back. From faithful Bible study and prayer to exerting will-power and self-control, we can prevent the old serpent from invading our lives! James urges us on, telling us that by resisting the devil we can put him to flight (Js. 4:7-8).