The Snake Gets Revealed

There's an interesting story out of London today.  It appears a painting of Queen Elizabeth I now has a snake appearing in the right hand.  It appears that years ago, because of the ambiguous symbolism of a snake in her hand, the painting was redone to depict the Queen holding a bouquet of roses.  But now, over time, the snake has resurfaced as the painting has faded.

There's a pretty gripping metaphor there, isn't there?

We may think we've neatly hidden away the snake, but sooner or later, all snakes get revealed.

In the fifth chapter of his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul taught us to "have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.  Everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible."  Sooner or later, the snake will be revealed.

A sobering, but important reflection for us all...