A Lizard’s Tale

Did you know that lizards are often caught by their tail, but they escape by detaching the tail from the center of their backbone? The tail keeps wriggling, fooling an attacker into thinking it has caught its prey. Meanwhile, the lizard dashes into the nearest crevice. He’s not worried—he just grows another tail!

It doesn’t hurt the lizard at all to have a tail cut off, but other animals do not find it as easy to get away. Trappers sometimes use huge steel-jaw traps designed to grip the unwary victim with an unbreakable hold. But sometimes, instead of a terrified creature, the trapper finds only an abandoned paw. A fox will actually chew off its own foot to escape!

People get caught in traps, too, but we can’t cut ourselves free without God’s power. And humanly speaking, we are not able. Why? The apostle Paul makes it clear: “I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” Rom. 7:21–23.

We are naturally in captivity to sin. Along with countless others who have wished to be free from sin, Paul asked, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Rom. 7:24.

Friend, take hope! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32. Jesus is the sword that will free you from the death trap of sin. His Word is able to cut you free! But in exchange, He demands nothing less than your whole heart.

Once our hearts are His, He gives us the power to cut away the sins that we take pleasure in. “But if your right eye offends you, take it out and throw it from you, for it is profitable to you that one of your members should perish and all your body not be thrown into hell.” Matt. 5:29, LITV. The word offend used here means “to snare.” Are you “ensnared” today?

While the lizard is not worried about the tail it loses, many people are afraid that they will miss something if they cut out a particular sin, that life would not be worth living.

But as the lizard grows a new tail to replace the old one, the Christian is given a “new life,” one that is eternal. 2 Cor. 5:17. Ultimately, the true Christian would rather die than crucify Christ again by his sins. Heb. 6:4–6. “Death before dishonor” should be the motto of every Christian.

The next time you see a lizard, remember that you can be free of Satan’s power by surrendering your life to the Lord. No sin is worth the price of remaining a captive of the devil.

Unless otherwise noted, all verses quoted are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.