They made their fortune in Vegas with their up-close-and-personal lion and tiger shows. The lions and tigers they worked with appeared docile and tame, wowing crowds from across the world, until tragedy struck in 2003. During a show at the Mirage, a big cat attacked, leaving Roy partially paralyzed.

Terrifying, but I’m afraid I’ve seen this act one too many times.

I see a lot of Christians attempting to tame a lion. They pet him, groom him, and even attempt to put their head in his mouth. If you ask them about the lion they’ll exclaim, “Oh no. He’s never hurt me. He’s never even so much as nipped me. He’s a tame lion.”

This lion they’re taming is Satan, yet he’s anything but tame. He’s impossible to gentle, and he’ll bide his time—as long as it takes— until the moment is right to inflict the most damage. Remember 1 Peter 5:8: “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Devour is not a quick nip, leaving you partially paralyzed; it’s death blow.

Are you putting your head in the lion’s mouth?

There are so many things we are free to do as Christians, yet some of them bring us dangerously close to the yellowed fangs of our adversary. Most people don’t start lion taming by putting their head in his mouth. They start with easier, less dangerous tasks first. A drink with co-workers. A steamy romance novel. A quick peek at a website. A “friend request” to old flame. A working date. A spree with the credit card. A couple of pills.

No attack. So, they move on to deeper interactions with the lion.

I’m not saying any of these things are sins per se, but I am saying that there are circumstances and behaviors that bring us closer to the fangs, and when we don’t get hurt, we move closer and closer until—Satan attacks and devours us.

Siegfried and Roy performed with lions and tigers for years with no incidents, and I’m sure they developed a relationship with the cats, but humans are unable to completely blot out the predator instinct. Satan sits at the top of the food chain with a raging predator instinct.

Stop putting your head in the lion’s mouth.

Our society applauds lion taming and they never seem to get hurt!

The thing is, like nature’s predators, Satan likes living prey.

His lair is full of dead-men’s bones, but he stalks the living just like a lion. The Bible tells us the world is dead in their sins, but we are alive in Christ. (Eph 2:5) Christians: make no mistake. He is stalking you because you’re alive in Christ.

No one can look into your heart and say, “You’re getting too close!” But I’ve seen Christians with their heads in the lion’s mouth— with pictures on Facebook to prove it. I fear for them, because contrary to lie they’ve believed, he’s not tame and will bide his time until he can devour them.

There are black and white sins listed in the Bible, but a great many things are left to our good sense. Some things you choose to do won’t endanger you, but might be the very things that lead me toward the lion’s foul breath. Paul reminds the Corinthian brothers and sisters in 1 Cor. 10:23, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.”

Only you know how close you’ve gotten to the lion. Temptation is different for everyone. Take a look at your life. Are you putting your head in the lion’s mouth?

1 Pet 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Kelli Hughett