PINIMAGEThree weeks from today my daughter Abby and I will be landing in New Delhi, India. I can’t tell you how excited I am to visit India once again and, this time, bring my daughter along with me.
I’m one of those people who likes to study up on the climate, the popular foods, the culture and more while preparing for a trip.
Here’s something you might not have known. One of the deadliest snakes known to man makes it’s home in India. The Common Krait snake.
Some of you are actually saying out loud as you read this, “Tammy, abort mission. Don’t do it! Are you crazy?”
I have to admit, I didn’t learn about the Krait snake just recently. It was actually a while ago while I was watching Animal Planet. The show was called The World’s Deadliest Snakes.
Some of the snakes were huge. They can eat stuff like deer and pigs and, well, people. Some of them wrap around your and squeeze you to death. Some just flat looked intimidating. But the Krait snake was an interesting species and honestly while I watched I thought to myself, “Boy, isn’t that just like Satan!?!?”
Let me share some facts with you about the Common Krait:
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- The adult krait snake averages between 25 and 36 inches in length. Not very large. Seemingly much less harmless than the Green Anaconda that can grow up to 30 feet in length.
- The krait snake is nocturnal and mostly active at night It hunts for prey in the darkness.
- Human victims of a Krait bite are usually bitten while they sleep.
- The krait Snake’s bite is painless. The victim often does not know they’ve been bitten and injected with a deadly venom until it’s too late.
Frequently, little or no pain occurs from a krait bite, and this can provide false reassurance to the victim. Typically, victims complain of severe abdominal cramps, accompanied by progressive paralysis and death. A clinical toxicology study gives an untreated mortality rate of 70-80%. Wikipedia.org
Many people who live in the regions where the Krait snake is active have learned the importance of being alert and knowledgeable of the risk and danger around them. Knowing how to act quickly when an incident occurs may mean the difference between life or death.
My mind turns to a passage in Ephesians. Satan’s strategies are seen all around us. He lulls us to sleep with comfort. Sometimes he bites and we aren’t even aware. We are told in God’s Word to live in the Light. We are told to put away sin that is done in darkness. We are told to Wake Up!
Ephesians 5:1-15 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us[a] and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. 3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. 7 Don’t participate in the things these people do. 8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,
“Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”
15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.
Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’
Have you been bitten? If so, would you even know? I’m thankful to know that Christ is the anti-venom. He offers life and hope. You can turn to Him today.
