Authority in Jesus' Name

There is a passage in Luke that I've always thought was weird and inapplicable, but now I know better.  We own a house in the country in the rolling hills and breaks due north of Amarillo.  Like all of rural west Texas, this area is dry, windy, sunny, and full of critters.  Although there are tarantulas, black widows, skunks and the occasional coyote, my two least favorite are rattlesnakes and scorpions.

Snakes and scorpions are the bane of the existence of any dweller in a temperate and arid landscape.  When we moved to our rural home, with three young children and no real safe outdoor space, we were worried about snakes and scorpions.  So instead of worrying about it we prayed that God would keep us safe from snakes and scorpions, and at the very lease that we would see them if they were around so that we could kill them before they harmed us.

When Jesus sent out the 72 disciples in Luke 10, they came back ecstatic about what they were able to accomplish in his name.  "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" they said.  And Jesus' response is kind of odd, which is typical for Jesus.

And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.  Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." - Luke 10:18-20 (ESV)

Whenever I have heard a preacher come to this passage of scripture, typically the words of Jesus here are described as symbolic.  And I understand why preachers are afraid of treating this passage as if it's literal.  For one thing, there are stupid people out there who will take a passage like this and build their religion around it.  I have heard of snake handlers and other lunatics who think it's somehow Godly to tempt death with a viper in your hands.  But I also think that we're afraid of treating this verse literally because, well, if I do get bitten by a snake, I don't want that to bring the truth of the words of Jesus into question.

In the two and a half years that we lived in our rural house we saw some scorpions and we saw some snakes.  In fact, I saw three rattlesnakes total - two diamondbacks and one prairie rattler - and I was able to kill all three without issue, without my kids around, and without fear.  Two of those snakes were within six or seven feet of me when I spotted them.  One night I remember there was a scorpion sitting on the threshold of our girls' room, and we were walking over it for a minute before we spotted it and killed it.  No one was stung.

Our rural house is now rented to a family, and recently they complained of having scorpions in the house.  They didn't complain of being stung, which I think is significant, but they have seen scorpions inside.  And I'm praying now over that house still, and over this family.  Because I know what the scripture says - it says that I will have authority over snakes and scorpions.  I'm not going to tempt death because of that, but I will speak the name of Jesus and walk in his authority.  And I will appreciate that this authority is very literal.