Attacked By An Alligator

He pulled it out of his pocket and put it on my desk. I was familiar with the little plastic green alligator. My wife had given it to him a few years earlier as a little gift. I was an interim pastor at the time in the midst of a difficult personnel situation and Gary Blanchard, my mentor and good friend, had come to visit our church to bring some much needed encouragement. The alligator was symbolic. It was a reminder to me that I would encounter people in my life that would work against me--perhaps, even try to destroy me.

Have you ever encountered any "alligators" in your life? You may be dealing with one right now! Maybe it's a family member or a supervisor at work. I've learned that "alligators" often try to manipulate and control those around them through fear and intimidation, especially in cases where they have the authority to do so.

I ran across a verse years ago that has helped me with the "alligators" in my life. Proverbs 29:25 says, "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe."

This verse has taught me that I will never please everyone, especially the "alligators". In fact, any effort to please these people will leave me trapped. And so, when I face them now, I do all I can to seek God's approval in the situation.

BTW, one interesting fact about real alligators...while they have 3000-5000 lbs of biting force, the muscles that open their jaw are so weak that a man can hold their mouth shut with his bare hands! How much more can God hold shut the mouths of the "alligators" that come your way!

Come and see my little plastic alligator sometime. It still sits on my desk today.