Finding the Devil's Shoelaces in the Bend

Learning About Devil’s Shoelaces

Every week I learn something new. One of my mother's favorite proverbs has been You're never to old to learn. This week proved to allow learning about a new pasture plant.

While clearing small saplings from the pasture, I felt a botanical grab on my boot and jeans. Looking to the ground, I glimpsed a plant I had never seen. In my successful attempt to pull my boot free, the plant came out of the ground. After loading the mystery vegetation sample into the back of the vintage pickup that Dad last used, I snapped a couple of photos. (One of the photos also shows thistles I had pulled.)

Once back at the house, my research began. Soon I spotted information about a vine-like plant with a spiky pink flower and an immature berry resembling an unripe raspberry. (I have experience with unripened raspberries. Grandma Gladys Rainey Smith had a lovely, fenced-in, well-kept area with a strawberry bed, staked blackberry bushes as well as raspberry bushes. Grandma referred to the two type berries as tame blackberries and raspberries. She usually commented as we picked raspberries that my paternal grandpa, Edmund Gates, Sr,, loved raspberries so much that he often said, “If you eat raspberries, you’ll live forever!” Angie and I never seemed to mind picking from Grandma’s berry garden.) The leaves on the mystery plant resembled the leaves on a mimosa tree and could almost magically close. Many descriptions referred to the ball-shaped flower as beautiful. The links below have more detailed information about the plant I found.

https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/sensitive-briar - Missouri’s Department of Conservation

https://pbase.com/richarda/image/50020706 - Interesting Photos of Oklahoma Wildflowers

                The names of the newly identified plant ranged from Catclaw, Sensitive Briar to Devil’s Shoestrings or Devil Shoelaces. The last two monikers attached to the viney, prickly, snaring plant brought scripture to mind.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the worldly-wise, gullible Corinthian believers. He expressed concern that just as the devil deceived Eve, so might the diabolical enemy of God and His followers inflict his wicked deception on the unsuspecting Corinthians. Here are Paul’s words from II Corinthians 11:3

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

            As I thought about the simplicity mentioned by Paul, I recalled teaching students in Sunday School and team teaching a Sunday evening class with Sharon Stewart that our pastor, Jon Ogle, named Kids for Christ. The Three B’s was a mnemonic to remember three unshakable truths or nonnegotiable tenets of our faith.        
            The first B stands for BIBLE, the inerrant, inspired Word of God, and the sole basis for our beliefs.  Mike Brock, our pastor, quotes frequently this powerful reminder from Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the revered pastor of  the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. Spurgeon recognized the preeminence of the Bible over all other good literature when he said, Live in the Bible and visit other good books.
            The second B represents the BIRTH, more specifically, the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus. Jesus is fully God and fully human. This is the only way He could be our redeemer. 
            The final B reminds of the BLOOD of Jesus. Peter in his first epistle to the scattered saints reiterates that our salvation was not acquired by silver or gold

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 
I Peter 1:19

            Just as the plant aptly named devil’s shoelaces almost tripped me up, so the devil can craftily and stealthily, alter our beliefs or doctrine imperceptibly. Know what the Bible says by reading it every day. Daily invest time in developing an ongoing relationship with the miraculously born Jesus through prayer and meditation on things pointing to Him including music, books and friends that love Him, too. We must share with our loved ones, neighbors, friends, and anyone the Holy Spirit sends across our path that only the sacrificial blood of Jesus can take away our sin and give us new life.

A final note – I love the C.S. Lewis classic, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe because it clearly illustrates our need and vividly portrays the powerful, yet submissive Aslan, the allegorical representation of Jesus. I challenge anyone who has not read the book, seen the movies, either the animated version or the one with live actors to read or view this compelling tale. Compare Jesus with Aslan as you read or view.