When Your Greatest Fear Slithers Onto Your Street

The snake, a 3-foot copperhead, lay stretched out in the middle of our suburban neighborhood side street, seemingly trying to decide which one of the four homes it would terrorize. Since I had two young and adventurous daughters who enjoyed playing outside, this was an untenable situation.

Outfitted in knee-high rubber rain boots and thick gloves and armed with a flat shovel, I approached the enemy. Although I was in stealth mode, trying to approach him from behind, he must have sensed me coming because he curled up, readying himself for attack.

His fangs were as long as he was.

A Confession

I should pause right here and make a confession.

I hate snakes. No, that’s not quite honest enough. They terrify me.

I’ll turn away from the television when a snake appears on the show. I can’t look at them. That’s why I didn’t choose a snake as my featured image for this post, regardless how appropriate.

If a snake snuck up and surprised me, my heart would stop.

Instantly.

Dead.

Sandra, collect the life insurance and enjoy.

So, why in the world was I trying to sneak up on this evil, beady-eyed monster?

Because my love for my daughters outweighed my fear of snakes. The Bible says in 1 John 4:18 that perfect love casts out fear.

I guess the love for my kids wasn’t perfect because I was petrified. But it was enough.

Sometimes you have to do things scared.

However, you don’t have to do them scared and stupid.

Be Prepared to Face Your Fears

The tall rubber boots shielded me from an ankle attack. Gloves protected my hands for when he launched himself three feet into the air at me. I approached him from behind, white knuckles gripping a flat shovel rather than a pointed one – the wider surface area compensating for my shaky and erratic aim.

I was as prepared as I could be.

Now, if I could just get through this without the butterflies in my stomach stirring up lunch and causing me to vomit on the asphalt.

And I did.

Fear Isn’t the Enemy—Inaction Is

This very real, death-defying, almost heart-stopping moment wasn’t just about a snake. It was a picture of every panic-inducing thing we must face in life.

Hard conversations we need to have.

Confrontations we can no longer avoid.

Confessions we must make.

Job losses we may endure.

Endings we need to face.

Career changes.

You can avoid many frights for a while, but like my snake, they may eventually slither into your atmosphere and force you to face them.

Do the thing scared, but don’t do it stupid.

Pray for wisdom, ask for advice from people you trust.

And remember, just like with that copperhead, sometimes the things we fear most can’t actually jump as high or strike as far as our imaginations believe.

The Real Truth About Courage

As my niece reminded me of the immortal words of Franklin D. Roosevelt,

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

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