One of my favorite writers from an earlier period is Oswald Chambers. Before his death in 1917 he issued a warning that fit the circumstances of his own day, but an alarm that still needs to be sounded in this our present era. In his work entitled Bringing Sons into Glory he reminds us of some of the most conspicuous snares of Satan coupled with the insidious spirit of the world. "The Kingdom of God is within you, uncompromisingly within you", he writes. "We must never compromise with the kingdoms of this world; the temptation the Devil presents is that we should compromise. We recognize his temptation in the teaching that proclaims there is no such being as the Devil and no such place as hell; much that is called sin is mere defect; men and women are like poor babes lost in the wood, just be kind and gentle with them, talk about the fatherhood of God, about universalism and brotherhood, the kindness of Providence and the nobility of man. Our Lord's temptations reveal where the onslaught will come. Today, through an overabundance of Christian activities, Jesus Christ is being dethroned in hearts, and Christian wit and wisdom are taking His place; consequently, when trials and difficulties come, most of us are at our wit's end because we have succumbed to one or another of these temptations."
Since the yesteryear of Chamber's troubled times, vast Niagaras of increasingly turbulent waters, so to speak, have flowed under the spiritual bridge called Christianity. The tenor of the times has radically changed and the supernatural snares, besides the ones he has validly pointed out, have become more subtle in direct proportion to the moral decay that has so deeply corrupted the "normal behavior" of the masses. Over activity, misplaced zeal, undue emphasis on works was the principle bane of the Church in the fantastically optimistic era just prior to the beginning of the First World War. Today, too many people have been so thoroughly caught up in the promotion and worship of self that the immanent destruction implied in Ecclesiastes 9:12 seems to ominously overhang our contemporary society. "For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them." It was fraternization with the followers of false gods that was the fateful trap which ensnared the ancient Israelites and brought terrifying desolation, heart-rending dispersion, and centuries of sorrowful exile upon their radically rebellious actions and attitudes. At present, it is the idol of self that reigns supreme in most every arena of human activity. Now, the noose is not as slowly tightening as people vainly try to balance practical self-centeredness, even self-intoxication, with a theoretical attempt to still continue to love God and neighbor. Whatever belief people may publically profess, the reality of their work-a-day philosophy translates into "getting all the gusto you can get"; "you deserve a break today"; and the constant reminder that whatever the price, no matter the cost to others - "you are (definitely) worth it!"
"S" stands for Sin and Self
S.N.A.R.E. starts with the letter "S". That assuredly stands for sin, but, more specifically the source of so much sin and opposition to God, self. The biblical term for self is the "soul life" as opposed to the life of the spirit. In the Gospels the Lord Jesus emphasizes the dire dangers associated with undue attention to ideas, attitudes and behavior which are "soulish", or self-serving. We are warned by Him to take no thought for our life (see Matt. 6:25/Lk. 12:22); to lose our (self) life for His sake (Matt. 16:25/Mk. 8:35/Lk.9:24 & 17:33); and even to hate our own (self) life (Lk.14:26) insofar as earthly matters and natural relationships impede or disrupt the Kingdom of God within us, i.e. the whole new creation we enjoy in Christ Jesus!
"N" is for Neglect
Continuing in sin, motivated by selfishness as a practical way of life is destined to bring about the "N" word in our day-to-day living. "N" stands for neglect. However it is manifested, too much concentration on self has to carry with it some form of negligence. Unfortunately, this earliest of signs warning us that something is not right about our personal behavior or the manner in which we treat others goes largely unnoticed and, even if recognized, rarely corrected.
"A" is for Abuse
Carelessness and neglect have come to be accepted as such minor infractions of social conduct that many people miss the realization that continued neglect of accepted duties and reneging on attendant responsibilities will eventually result in the well-known, dreaded "A" word -abuse! It is here that society "seems to, appears to" try to uphold basic human decency. Self is generally accepted as fine. Neglect deserves its designation. Instances of neglect are of little consequence and should be ignored; except, of course, when one's own ox is being gored. But abuse is another matter. Society claims that it won't stand for any form of personal mistreatment. It gears up its forces to forestall abuse and even stamp it out. Sadly, abuse has already and longtime become a way of life for the family, the basic unit of our society. It has become so deeply part and parcel of personal relationships that emotional abuse has a measure of acceptability; verbal abuse is too widely tolerated; and abuse in its most outrageous, detectable physical form is frequently only temporarily restrained and not really abolished.
"R" is for Revenge
"R" follows the letter "A" in S.N.A.R.E. and, just as inevitably revenge and sometimes even rage are the unavoidable consequences of continued real or imagined abuse. Retaliation, in one form or another, is bound to occur when abuse continues unchecked. With revenge, the lesser of the two evils, the victims pretend that "they don't get mad, they just get even". That deceptive attitude is supposed to justify the meanness that they inflict on others; on the alleged abuser or on anyone who happens to come into the crossfire of their anger. Rage, whether it be steamy silent or explosively loud, is usually the aftermath of prolonged abuse. We need only look around us to see and hear about the increasing incidents involving monstrous acts and vengeful crimes.
"E" equals Exile and Elimination
"E" is the last letter in our acronym. There is a terrible finality in the chilling words that symbolize this terminal initial. Like "R", the letter that precedes it, "E" represents two possible scenarios: Revenge, which often brings about exile; and rage that sometimes ends in elimination. When relationships deteriorate to the point where the alleged victim is constantly engaged in some form of pay-back, all parties get exasperated and the inevitable separation eventually ensues. "I've had it with that guy" complains the worker about his boss and stomps off the job. The abused child leaves home; or becomes a stay-at-home runaway refusing to be a part of the family. Frequently these days abused parents secretly steal away from a renegade child, exiling themselves from their own flesh and blood. Couples separate, and in the divorce court charge each other with some aspect of abuse - mental cruelty used to be the classic legal complaint. The S.N.A.R.E. scenario and many of its consequences are at least temporarily involved even in so-called "amicable" divorces. Although the most tempestuous, rage, can sometimes subside; if the causes that produced it aren't dealt with, then mayhem and even murder can result from the simple, innocent-appearing selfishness that turned into neglect that brought about the abuse that provoked the rage that sought to permanently eliminate another human being!
Like trying to solve the dilemma of "the chicken or the egg" the sources of selfishness, its many causes, and its principle perpetrators seem impossible to pinpoint accurately. Egotism creates an atmosphere that affects everyone it surrounds and has the power to draw the most detached person into its influence. Believers understand that behind all its varied manifestations lies satanic oppression that can be effectively dealt with only through deep spiritual deliverance. So Christians should be less concerned about exposing the sources of selfishness by accusing others and analyzing where it came from. Rather, they should make sure that they know for a fact where it is going. By that I mean our main focus should be on recognizing selfishness for what it really is and being acutely aware of the terrible destruction that it can lead to. Then we can seek deliverance from its dreadful pattern of dangerous, destructive behavior, first for ourselves and also for others who need help to escape this regrettable regression and be freed from its fearful results.
As I began this article with a warning from a different era so I'll close with a caution that is applicable to all time, and especially to this present day. Concluding His parable about the most certain sign of His second coming (the fig tree sign signaling the re-establishment of Israel), the Lord Jesus tells us: "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting (self-indulgence), and drunkenness (including self-intoxication), and cares of this life (involving self-interest), and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man". Luke 21:34-36 What a tragedy it would be if Christians who so strongly and rightly protest against sin should suddenly find themselves strangling from the unrecognized effects of personal and social selfishness. We can be sure that if we don't deal with the drunkenness of today (no matter what form it takes), the cares of this life are bound to get us more deeply entangled tomorrow, threatening our worthiness "... to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."