Behind the Tire

I rushed out the other morning to get in my car, late for an appointment. As the garage door arose, I squeezed betwixt the narrow space behind my car and was rounding the driver’s side rear tire when something caught my eye.

A baby garter snake was cozily curled up behind the car tire. The same car I was about to back out of the driveway right over his little self.

Now I know many folks don’t like snakes in the worst way, but I, being raised next to a swamp, never minded the critters. I actually find them fascinating. In fact, as a child, I’d been known to carry a few around in my pockets and even tried to take a fully grown 4-foot black racer to Show & Tell at school once, but got busted before I could wrestle the reluctant reptile into the car.

So an “awww!” escaped my lips at the sight of this cute, harmless fellow nestling right behind my warm rubber tire. (Sadly, I didn’t think to take a photo.)

Nudging him with my foot, I said aloud, “You can’t stay there, little buddy.  It’s not safe. You’re going to be snake paste in about 30 seconds.”

But did he listen? Nah. He actually looked indignant as he squirmed his annoyance at being disturbed and hugged the tire even closer.

I tried again with my other foot. No dice.

A stick? Nope. That stubborn dude would NOT move. I’d scoot him over a few inches and he’d scoot right back. I could read it in his body language: he felt safe and content right where he was and the status quo had been working all night so why go to all the trouble of moving?

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Right?

Wrong. Things were about to change big time, but in his limited snake perspective, he couldn’t fathom it. And he fought change with all his might, even to his own detriment.

I finally had to resort to a broom and swept him out of his comfort zone, kicking and screaming, so to speak, out into the grass where he could live to tell the story to his grandserpents one day.

As I drove away, it occurred to me that I’m a lot like that little snake. When the Lord brings change into my life, like He has over the last few years, I often resist it with all my might. The status quo until now has been fine – well, maybe not fine, but at least tolerable because I’m used to it – so leave me be and let me stay right here behind my big ole safe tire.

Only the tire’s not safe. I just can’t see it from my limited human perspective.

So I resist Papa God’s foot nudge, stick shove, and the sweeping changes of the broom as I keep trying to squirm back into my comfort zone. But change is necessary for my growth, my health, my very life.

I just have to trust that He can see a much larger scope than I can and is working all things for good for this little squiggler who cannot grasp that there simply is no future behind the tire.

How about you, dearest BFF (Blessed Friend Forever)? What life change has uprooted you from behind your tire?