Snares

There is a story about boy that built a trap for spider monkeys. Spider monkeys are difficult to capture so this boy built a trap where a spider monkey could stick his hand into the trap to grab his favorite nut. Once the monkey had gripped the nut he could not pull his hand out of the trap. The problem with the monkey is that he wouldn’t let go of the nut in order to free his hand. His desire for the prize allowed him to be captured.
   
I suspect that most of us feel that we are smarter than this little monkey but that could be somewhat presumptuous of us because we are sometimes snared by the simplest of things.
   
Outward appearance is a snare that causes many to be captured. We may look at something desirable and think how wonderful it would be to obtain. However, we obtain what we desire and may find that it is not what we thought it would be. Perhaps the long sought goal leaves us empty and unfulfilled?
   
In first Timothy 6, at verse 7 we read: “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
   
The love of money is a snare for some but it is an obvious snare that can easily be recognized and avoided. There are other snares much subtler than the love of money.
   
Of course, another snare would be the snare of being good looking or having sex appeal. People often do not consider their good looks as a snare but it can be. 1st Peter 3:3 and 4 tells us, "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." The hidden man of the heart and a meek and quiet spirit is of great price. Not just to God but to those avoiding the snares of life. People often take this and similar passages of scripture and misinterpret the meaning. It’s not your good looks and fine dress that’s going to make the significant difference in your life. We’ve all observed shallow people that possessed nothing but their good looks and sex appeal.

The Apostle Paul even carried this idea one step farther in his own life. He said this in 1st Corinthians 7, beginning at verse 32: “But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.” When the Apostle Paul was talking about setting aside weights he was also talking about being married. Many of us would correctly not follow Paul’s advice on this subject but it was something that worked for him. It was of enough importance to him personally that he mentioned it in his letter to the Corinthian church.
   
As our great example we can see that Christ did not burden himself with the affairs of this life. Before he came to earth he already understood how the game is played and he avoided obvious pitfalls. In fact, Isaiah 53 is certainly talking about Christ because the evangelist Philip teaching the Ethiopian about Christ used it as the proof text. Verse 2 says, “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” Acts 8 says of Isaiah the 53rd chapter, “And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
   
When we see Christ it will not be as it is said of him in the book of Isaiah, “and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” We will see Jesus in all his glory and majesty. Revelations 19, at verse 11: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”
   
Of course, this is figurative language used by John to describe the power of our Lord when he comes again. No matter what picture we may paint of Christ in the Second Coming it will not be “and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” He will exhibit his power and his glory.
   
Paul said in Hebrews chapter 12, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
   
The greatest weight for people is the desire to be liked and accepted. We all understand this even when psychologist will tell us that the desire to be liked and accepted (based on their studies) is greater than our desire to be right. And so, most people would prefer to be liked than to be right.
   
Another snare people often realize at some point is that when things appear too good to be true they are sometimes traps for those that are not aware or on guard. We find these words in 1st Samuel 18, at verse 20: “And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain. And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law. And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.”
   
In this case we find a father that is attempting to accomplish his own desires at the expense of not only David but also his own daughter. We may often see instances where it is not someone’s good judgement but pride determining the snare for each of us.
   
Psalms 11, at verse 4, “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” We have an all Seeing Eye watching us from heaven above.
   
The 23rd Psalm is all about this all Seeing Eye watching over us. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
   
Sometimes we read passages such as the 23rd Psalm and say in our own mind that the Lord will be with me when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. It may not occur to us that we are now walking through the valley of the shadow of death and have been since our birth. This physical life is not the land of the living but the land of the dead and dying. We understand this when we pass a cemetery and see the grave stones of all those that have gone before us. We too shall soon have a stone with the dates of our life. Our names will be on that stone and we will be forgotten. At that point, the desire we have to be accepted and liked will be meaningless.
   
Our name may not be in the lamb’s book of life but it will most certainly be on a stone in the graveyard.
   
Some people don’t like to think morbid thoughts and put these thoughts totally out of their mind. That’s not true of great men or God. The thought of death was ever before the mind of God even from the foundation of the world.

Here is a quote from John F. Kennedy. “The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.” Christ was not silenced. He said in Matthew 12, at verse 34: “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

Matthew 15, at verse 7: “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”

The untrue words of others can be a great snare. Why? Most people will attempt to go along to get along. They may even repeat things that they themselves do not believe to be true in order to have unity. People are crowd pleasers. That’s what it means when we hear about a politician holding up his finger to test the wind.
Ephesians 4, at verse 29: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

This was true then and this is true today concerning evil and the snares of the devil. 2nd Timothy 2, at verse 24: “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”