Just as Moses lifted up the snake: Live and Let Live

 Live and Let Live

It was a lovely day in the woods.  The birds sang in the trees, the frogs croaked in the pond, the crickets chirped in the  grass and a rattle snake slid along a small path, which led through the middle of the woods, to warm herself in the sun.  She rolled up and slept a little.  It was peaceful and nice.  A man came along the path who saw the sleeping snake and wanted to kill it.  He grabbed a large stone and just as he wanted to throw it onto the sleeping snake she work up. 

"Brother, why do you want to kill me, I haven't done anything to you!"  

"You are poisonous and must die!"  called the man. 

"But brother, I am poisonous but I'm not doing anything, I won't kill you!"  

"You, kill me?" laughed the man.  "I am a human and am much larger and stronger than you and I have this stone.  I am going to kill you with it!"  "I am not a snake's brother anyway!" the man screamed  "...and you are going to die now!"  

He lifted up the stone.  

In that instant, the snake struck out like lightning and bit the man in the neck.  He immediately fell to the ground and as he lay there dying, he heard the snake say:  

"If you had listened to me, brother, and hadn't wanted to kill me,  this wouldn't have happened and you might have had a long life."  

Then the snake rolled back into the sun and slept on this wonderfully peaceful day in the woods. 

 John 3 

New International Version 

(NIV)

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]”

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e] 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f] 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[g]

"Born again?! 

No, I'm not. 

Excuse me for getting it right the first time." 

~(Dennis Miller)~