The screening tool to select the top candidates for a senior position was a three-hour psychological examination. Of the hundreds of questions, one was particularly memorable: “If you were visiting a zoo and the cage door was open, and the lion was nowhere in sight, how would you respond?” Some said they would run as fast as their legs would carry them. Others said: “Jump in the cage and slam the door shut.”
If such a scenario unfolded in real-life, one thing is sure; one’s alertness during the zoo visit would change in a flash. The casual and fun stroll would instantly turn into a very guarded walk.
The imagery the Apostle Peter employed in his first Epistle was vivid:
Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger],seeking someone to seize upon and devour. 1Peter 5:8 AMP
“Peter, why did you have to use the imagery of a lion? Were you trying to scare us or make us uneasy?”
“Yes, I was using it as a wake-up call for everyone to get very serious about living for Christ. Living in a hostile world that hates Jesus Christ and everything associated with Him is no casual stroll in the park. It never was and never will be. It’s more like a zoo, and the cage door is wide open. The lion is on the loose, prowling and ready to pounce on his prey of choice – deliberately stalking potential victims. Living for Christ isn’t about fun and games – it’s serious stuff. Be vigilant and on guard – cautious at all times. Humble and never confident in self – understanding this, that better Christians than you have been pounced on and have terribly fallen.”
Peter had sad memories of his own. Shortly before going to the Cross, Jesus cautioned Peter that Satan was really after him. Jesus said to Peter:
Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat… Luke 22:31
Peter was confident he wouldn’t go down under the attack, but he did. He denied the Lord three times that night. Thanks to the grace of God, Peter was wonderfully and fully restored to the Lord – but what an attack he suffered!
Notice the connection between humility and safety in 1 Peter 5:6-8 and also in James 4:6-7. We need to live our lives as Christians in a daily posture of repentance – a daily rhythm of repentance as I approach the Lord.
Satan was pretty experienced back then – but he’s had 2000 post-Calvary years to refine his strategies and his scent-sniffing, stalk and attack skills. He’s no napping-slack-slouch when it comes to stalking his prey, snaring and cornering his victim and pouncing.
There is nothing haphazard about Satan’s approach – nothing casual. And there should be nothing haphazard or casual about my approach to Christian living either.
To try and survive, even a day, as a believer without reading my Bible and talking to the Lord in prayer, is reckless. In fact, in addition to my regularly scheduled times of prayer each day and the formal, systematic reading of my Bible each day, my entire approach to living each day should be one of dependence on the Lord.
We need to cultivate a closer daily walk with Christ. Breathe out little two-second prayers to the Lord throughout the day as if He were physically at your side on the bus, in the car, on the escalator, in the mall, in the classroom, in the library, or in the office. Enjoy His presence; feel His power and experience His protection today.
Remember, the cage door is open. Satan is on the prowl. Be alert and cautious. Walk guardedly, not casually. Walk humbly and closely with the Lord, and you’ll be safe. Never forget what the Apostle John told us: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1John 4:4
Don’t hesitate to share a thought from your personal experience or a verse that has been a blessing to you – in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.
