One cold night, a snake was looking for a place to rest. As it slithered through the darkness, it found an open door to a carpenter’s workshop. Grateful for the shelter, the snake slipped inside and curled up in a corner of the room.
As the night wore on, the snake began to explore its surroundings. It wound its way between the tools and scraps of wood scattered across the floor. In the shadows, it didn’t see a sharp, jagged saw lying on the ground.
As the snake moved across it, the sharp teeth of the saw cut into its soft belly. Surprised and in pain, the snake turned and bit the saw. The steel blade wounded its mouth badly. Not understanding what it was up against, the snake grew angrier and decided to fight back. It wrapped itself tightly around the saw, squeezing with all its strength in an attempt to crush the “enemy.”
The more the snake squeezed, the deeper the saw’s teeth cut into its body. But the snake, blinded by rage and pain, refused to let go. Eventually, the struggle was too much. The snake, gravely wounded by its own attack, died.
The Lesson
Sometimes, we react with anger and hurt toward the people or situations that have wounded us. But in doing so, we often end up hurting ourselves more. Like the snake, our refusal to let go of offense or vengeance can lead to greater damage—emotional, spiritual, even physical.
The saw never meant to attack. It simply was what it was. But the snake’s reaction turned a small injury into a fatal one.
Letting go, walking away, and choosing peace over retaliation doesn’t mean weakness—it means wisdom. The strongest choice is often to stop fighting what isn’t actually fighting us back.
Ecclesiastes 7:9 (ESV) "Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools."
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