And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So, he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.

Exodus 4:3 (NKJV)

I don’t blame Moses here in Exodus 4:3. I would have done exactly the same thing. I’m terrified of snakes. The Bible often gives serpents a bad rap.  They represent deception, temptation as in Genesis 3 in the Garden of Eden or In Revelation 12 when “that ancient serpent…is the deceiver of the whole world.” Some of the Pharisees are described by both John the Baptist and Jesus as a “Brood of Vipers.” (Luke 3:7-12 and Matthew 3:7).

As much as I loved Indiana Jones movies, there were scenes which gave me nightmares. In The Last Crusade, the young Indiana Jones as he played Robin Hood to steal a beautiful relic from the three unwitting men. The men gave chase to retrieve the precious item which ensued much adventure and hilarity. Indy hopped a train which hosted a variety of delightful circus creatures. By delightful, I mean rather terrifying. Being gutted by a rhinoceros or mauled by a lion isn’t the way I would choose to leave this world. Yet, the nightmare came when Indiana fell into the crate of snakes.**

I have been reliving that scene in my dreams ever since.  I was an adolescent when I first had the dream. Most recently, a version of the dream reoccurred this week. I would fall into a crate of various snakes. I’d splash into the frigid, inky water and the snakes would descend upon me.  They would hiss and crawl all over me, I could feel all the scaly skin on my bare flesh. One cobra snake looked straight at me, and I screamed. As I opened my mouth, it dove down my throat. I woke up choking and gagging.

I grew up on an 18-acre farm in Chattanooga. While I loved it there, it had its share of hazards. I came across rattlesnakes and copperheads more often than I would have liked.

Nothing spoils a wonderful summer day of swimming in the creek then looking up and seeing a snake joining your swim. I would say my fear of snakes was valid.  

Once, I abandoned my towel on a swim as a large rat snake decided to take up residence. No, thank you. I will dry off during my sunny walk back home.

The rattlesnakes were particularly terrifying. I watched our golden Cocker Spaniel battle a rattlesnake in the yard by the garden.  I can’t remember how old I was, 8? I heard a commotion as my mom and dad were yelling and I ran to them to see what was going on. My mom grabbed me and pushed me behind her. Even so, I managed to see the snake reel up and strike. I was sure my favorite dog in the whole universe was doomed. But luckily, our dog had dodged the strike, the snake had been killed, either by my father’s garden hoe or by our dog, I didn’t know. From what I understood, our dog had sensed the danger and got in the middle of the fight to protect my parents. The snake’s focus was on our dog instead of my parents. Our dog was safe and even more my hero.

My mischievous children take advantage of my fear of snakes. The fear is so deep rooted that I do not even like pictures of snakes, toy snakes or ones safely behind glass.  My son wanted a pet snake which I would never, never, never, ever allow in my household. I’d seen a snake down a field mouse before. I didn’t want to visualize anything like that again.

Our devious, sweet cat tried to bring me a present in the form of a squirming baby garden snake. I dropped my weeding implements and took off into the house, slamming the glass door in my cat’s face. I was not about to let her into the house with it.

 My other sweet daughters usually insist on visiting the reptile house first at the Nashville Zoo. I received a reprieve this year, as the reptile house was closed for renovation. Of course, my youngest bought herself a huge toy snake and wrapped it around her shoulders as we were leaving the zoo. I was not amused. 

Walking the reptile house, however, became a repetitive act which helped navigate my fear. The first time I flew through there and got out quickly. Eventually, I was able to come closer and stay longer. Now, I just have a twinge of discomfort and can spend a lot of time there. I even have allowed a couple of boa constrictors around my neck for pictures.

Even so, I am not thrilled with this year’s cicada population boom. Copperheads love the meal of a cicada. 

Despite my phobia of snakes, I know they are part of God’s creation, and they play an important role in nature’s ecosystem. Without snakes, according to a science article*, there would be “an increase in rodent populations, potentially exacerbating issues like crop destruction and the spread of bubonic plague.” And snakes are also food for other predators, which is fine with me.

In Exodus, Moses used the staff to show the miraculous power of God.  Pharaoh was shown God’s power when Moses’ staff became a snake. Moses grabbed the tail of the snake, and it became a staff again.

In the New Testament, Jesus tells his disciples to be as shrewd as snakes. Matthew 10:16: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

I have to remember that fear of snakes is a common phobia and should not be stigmatized. By acknowledging and addressing this fear, individuals can take steps to manage their anxiety in a healthy way.

Seeking support from professionals and educating oneself about snakes can help in overcoming this fear. I remind myself that it is okay to be afraid, but it is also possible to work through that fear and find a sense of peace and empowerment.

More information:

*Science article quoted: What If There Were No Snakes? | HowStuffWorks

**Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:Train Chase (youtube.com) Snakes scenes start at 4:17 or so.

Thought, Word & Deed

A weekly newsletter by Katie Rea.