God's Snake
© 1997 Don Rogers
The experienced youth leader found herself in a new church, a very different church than the one she had served for years. She got along OK in the new place and the kids were nice, but the bonding she had come to know in her previous ministries just wasn't there.
The group went on a week-end retreat and decided, as part of their worship experience, to conduct a foot washing service. The time for that came and they went down to the creek. The group was uneasy about this rather unusual service so there was considerable giggling going on. Then the cry arose, "A snake!" Shrieks followed as a sure enough real snake was seen coming down the stream.
Kids and youth leader ran to safety where they collapsed in each others arms and laughed in relief. From that moment on the kids and leader had that bond - the bond of a startling and frightening event. A snake, could it have been God's snake? brought them together.