Watch out for Snakes

 

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. ~ Matthew 10:16 NKJV

I've picked blackberries since I was a small child. It's worth the scratches for the jam and blackberry cobbler. Every season someone will admonish me to watch out for snakes, even neighbors driving by will stop and say, "Watch out for snakes."  Maybe your experience is different but me, I've never seen a snake in a blackberry patch. I've seen a snake skin hanging in a sapling but never a live snake. So my wandering mind began to wonder as I picked as to just why in all the brush and pine needles, poison oak and briars have I never seen a snake. It seems like the perfect habitat. 

I thought; I'm not posing a threat gently easing into the berry patch. I pick the berries on the outside then step gently a little at a time to the next sticky cane. Then pick and step again. I'm not rushing in like a wild bull stomping and crushing. If there is a snake, he's likely slithering out the other direction as I'm creeping in from the front side. I gather every ripe berry I can reach, turn and go back out the same way I went in gingerly picking my way through the briars that have closed in behind me. 

I think that's the way Jesus wants our witnessing to be. Gentle, one step at a time, getting to know the person, not charging into their space with accusations of sin that will send them to hell if they don't repent this minute. Charging in will cause them to throw up a defense and you might be "bitten". 

James 4:7 says, "resist the devil and he will flee from you." How do we resist? Easing into the devil's territory. Gently witnessing with kindness and sympathy. You know, we're sinners too. Your story can have a profound effect on others when given in a harmless dove-like manner. And be wise, know when it's time to turn and ease out. You may have the opportunity to return to that "berry patch", that conversation on another day. 

Heavenly Father, help us to love others well. Help us show them we care about their lives, their circumstances, as well as their souls. Help us witness the way you would witness, as wise as serpents but harmless as doves. In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Hey Kids:

My dad always told us he picked enough blackberries for twenty-five cents a gallon to buy his shotgun shells for the winter. I'm sure he saved some for Grandma's blackberry cobbler. 

Blackberries sell for far more than twenty-five cents a gallon nowadays, but I'm not sure I'd pick them to sell. I enjoy making jam for the winter and cobblers for Sunday dinner. Both are easier to make than most people think. 

For Jam just have mom buy a bag of sugar and a box of pectin (Surejell). Follow the directions for making jam. You can use canning jars or recycled glass jars with lids that fit. The jam doesn't need to be pressure canned. If mom doesn't have a water bath canner, place a few table knives in the bottom of a large pot so the jars don't touch the bottom. Fill the pot with water to cover the jars and bring to a boil. Boiling for five minutes should keep your jam through the winter months. 

For a cobbler, add a little sugar and sprinkle a tablespoon of cornstarch or a 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum over the berries. Bring to a boil and pour into a pie dish. Make a little dough and place by spoonfuls on top of the berries. Bake at the same temperature as biscuits for the same amount of time. Bisquik is an easy way to make the topping. 

Even if you just pick a few berries to eat out of hand, be sure to "Watch out for snakes!" Just thought I'd add that in for good measure.