It Didn't Come Through the Front Door

Photo by sippakorn yamkasikorn on Unsplash

Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. – 1 Peter 5:8 (CSB)

One fall evening my aunt and uncle from Ohio were visiting my parents in their Florida home. A cozy fire crackled in the fireplace as they sat nearby enjoying the evening. A sudden movement interrupted their conversation.

Then a snake plopped into the flames. Apparently, the heat forced it from its resting place on the fireplace damper. It quickly slithered off the raised hearth and across the living room floor.

You can imagine the chaos.

My aunt jumped onto the couch. My mom ran from the room and closed the door behind her, leaving the others to deal with the snake.

My uncle spotted a shotgun hanging on the wall and grabbed it, certain he had found a solution.

“Don’t shoot the snake,” my dad teased, knowing the gun wasn’t loaded.

He ran outside and returned armed with a shovel. Then he scooped up the snake, carried it from the house, and put an end to the threat.

Peace returned to the room.

I was away at college, but I’ve heard this family story several times and often thought about it. Not about the snake, but how it got inside. It didn’t come through the front door. It entered through an opening no one was thinking about.

In Genesis, a crafty serpent used deceit to find an opening in Eve’s mind, leading her to question God’s Word.

Peter warns us to stay alert because the devil, our adversary, is seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) He also warns us against giving the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:27)

Thousands of years later, his methods may look different but his strategy does not.

The openings may seem ordinary or more serious: entertainment that slowly poisons our thinking. A compromise here and there. Bitterness that has taken root.

Neglected prayer. An unforgiving heart. A closed Bible. Ugly words that have become normal in our homes.

Homes rarely drift away from God overnight. Generally, it happens one small opening at a time.

That evening, my family’s home was invaded and dad took immediate action. He quickly assessed the situation, used the right tool, removed the threat and restored peace.

Spiritual warfare is real, but there’s no need to fear. Our confidence lies in Jesus.

So when the enemy finds an opening, don’t panic — but don’t ignore it either. Respond with what God has provided: His Word, prayer, faith, confession, repentance, godly counsel, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

A spiritually guarded home is one where Jesus Christ is invited to search every room and every opening.

Questions for Reflection:

1. Are we so busy locking the front door that we’ve failed to check the chimney?

2. Is there an opening in my home, or my heart, that I’ve stopped noticing?

3. How am I using what God has provided to guard my heart and home?