Recently, I was watering the yard plants for someone who was away on vacation. We have traded the favor on previous occasions when one of us went away on vacation. As I watered my way around the property, I came across a small wire trap used to trap ground squirrels that have been digging holes all over the property. The trap was not designed to kill the squirrel only to trap them inside a wire enclosure. The trap was designed to entice a squirrel to walk through a spring-loaded door toward a small deposit of food that was left just inside the door as bait. Once inside they become trapped when the spring-loaded door slams shut behind them.

As I made my way to where the trap was located, I saw a squirrel was trapped inside. I felt sorry for the little guy. I don’t know how long he had been there. The owners of the home would not be back for another week so the squirrel would probably die if left inside. I am sure the owners will be shocked when they realize they left the trap active in their absence. I propped open the trap door and left some bird seed at the entrance to entice the squirrel back out of the trap. He would not move toward the open door in my presence. I am hoping he chooses freedom once I left.

The squirrel reminds me of people who did not realize that certain life choices they made would cause them to become trapped in situations they never imagined. These are spiritual and emotional traps that looked enticing at first but would sadly be realized were unwise choices. 

If someone is trapped in a bad choice and you are called to help them find their way to freedom, there is only one way out – obedience. That obedience is a willingness to follow the truth of God’s word and reverse the direction of their life. For someone who has become trapped in sin knowing that God has made a way to freedom through confession and repentance, there is always hope. Only when someone realizes their choice has a potentially fatal outcome to their relationships with God and people, will they be willing to reverse their path and find freedom.

I am hoping when I go back to the property the squirrel will have made a wise choice and chose to walk back through the open trap door to find freedom. If not, his choice to remain in the trap will have a sad outcome.