IN AFRICA, a few years ago, a man came around a native village with some poisonous snakes in a box. He would take them out of the box and play with them, claiming that his heathen god protected him so that the snakes would not harm him.
The natives were afraid of him and would give him clothes and food to eat only if he would keep his snakes away from them. Going from one village to another he made a living this way — playing with the dangerous creatures!
One day he went to a village a few miles away, and taking his snakes out as usual, he began playing with them. Alas, as he put them back into his box, one of them sank its deadly fangs into his hand. The frightened villagers could not help him, and in half an hour the man died in dreadful pain.
May we learn a lesson from the poor man and his snakes. Are you playing with some dangerous sin, dear young reader — boy or girl? Drop it at once. It will bring you down to death, "for the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). Ask the Lord Jesus to save you. If there is some evil habit you cannot break, ask Him to help you. He is willing, and He is able. He loves you, and died for you. He will set you free from sin’s guilt and power.
ML-12/05/1971