What is Sizing You Up?

     This (crazy) woman has a pet boa constrictor. A snake that she absolutely loves. Loves so much that it sleeps with her at night. She noticed that he hadn't been eating for a while and that when he was sleeping he was sleeping in a straight line, when he normally slept curled up in ball. She decided to call her vet and ask him about it. As she tells him all of this he immediately says to get rid of the snake as soon as possible. Come to find out..... The snake had been fasting so he could save enough space to eat his owner. He had been sleeping straight up and down because he was sizing up his owner. And when he reached a certain length then he knew that he had enough space to eat her.
     Pretty dang gross right? I absolutely hate snakes, so I really hate this story. I thought about doing some research to find out more about this "sizing up" thing that they do, but refrained because I knew I'd have nightmares, and constantly be on the snake look out! However, I couldn't get this story out of my mind for quite a while. Because it floors me that the woman would sleep with a snake. That is ridiculous. As I began to think on this it hit me that we do the same things.
     We allow things in our life that can potentially harm or kill us. Addictions, ungodly relationships, ungodly habits and behaviors, etc. We know that it isn't what God intended for us- but we go ahead and let it sleep with us, size us up, and give it the opportunity to eat us alive. And that is exactly what sin will do. satan will use every opportunity that we give him to get into our lives. He can manipulate it to where in the beginning "it's not a big deal". The sin is so small that why would it even matter? (Sin always matters, that's a lie. It's from satan so don't listen to that!) But as time passes we get more comfortable with that sin in our life... and it grows... and before you know it, it's just like that boa constrictor. Waiting for the moment to take our life away. Sin is crouching at our door, and we must rule over it (Genesis 4:7).
     So, what do we do with this massive, life-sucking, killing, monster of a sin!?
1. We cut it off. Get rid of it. Give yourself no access to it. This is not a time to show yourself that you can be strong and just say no. No, do not even give yourself the opportunity to get into that area of sin again.
2. Get an accountability partner. It is too easy to go back to the things we are comfortable with. Having someone that will hold you accountable to your decision to go God's way over your own will be extremely helpful.
3. Replace it with something Godly. Find something that you can do for God.
4. Pray against that struggle. It is from satan- therefor it doesn't stand a chance. Rebuke it and replace it with the truth. For example, if you have trouble with body image- rebuke the lie that you aren't pretty. And replace it with "the King is enthralled by my beauty" (Psalm 45:11).
5. Dust yourself off and keep moving. Your past does not define you. You still have an opportunity to be the best you that God created. It's never too late.



     Take a look at your life and ask yourself the question, "What is sizing me up?" or "What am I trapped inside from allowing myself to "sleep" with ungodly harmful things?


I end this post with a quote from Kris Vallotin, "You have not been put on earth for the devil to tormet you, you have been put on this earth to torment the devil."