The Snake And The Electric Fence

   I don’t like snakes, and I don’t like electric fences. Put them both together and you have a bad day… at least for me. It was 1978 and I was working as an apprentice at building custom cabinets. However, one day I decided to go fishing. I knew someone who said he had a small farm, with some private ponds with cat fish. So, I gathered the necessary equipment, and dug some nice worms, and drove out to the farm. I parked along the fence on the dirt road and got everything out and ready to go fishing. I raised one of the barbed wires, held the lower with my foot and went through, stood up and wham! The fence had an electric wire I had not noticed. It was enough electricity to discourage cows and careless people for sure. Anyway, I recovered and trudged on, murmuring (not so) under my breath about the man who put the fence there. I arrived at the ‘pond of dreams’ examined all the fishing spots, trying to locate the right spot. Then I found it, and set my tackle box on the ground, and started to put my fishing pole on the ground. I was about to put my pole on what I thought was a rock, when I saw that the ‘rock’ was a snake coiled up. It was black is all I know, and my face flushed, hot sweats broke out. That was it… my fishing day was done, and I got out of there as fast as I could.
   Life is really about learning from the mistakes of others as well as our own mistakes. William Penn Adair “Will” Rogers is known for his wisdom and quick witted ‘one-liners’… here are a few. “Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin’ it back in.” “Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.” “There’s two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither one works.” “If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.” “The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.” “It doesn’t take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.” “Don’t squat with your spurs still on.” “Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.”
   Solomon is also known for his wisdom which he recorded in the book of Proverbs. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline” (Proverbs 1:7). “My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them” Proverbs 1:10. “Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. (Dealing with temptation he says) Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you” Proverbs 4:24-25. “When pride comes, then comes disgrace but with humility comes wisdom” Proverbs 11:2. “A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay to the bones” Proverbs 12:4. “An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble” Proverbs 12:13. “A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of the fool blurts out folly” Proverbs 12:23 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” Proverbs 14:12.
   Why make the same mistakes and reap the same results as others? Seek wisdom, and when you find it…. use it.  James says, “If anyone lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

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