Not too long ago, my dad and I embarked on a grand repotting adventure. After all our hard work, the plants looked pristine, the pots were refreshed, and everything seemed in perfect harmony—until a particularly mischievous squirrel decided that this scene was far too clean for its liking.

For reasons known only to itself, this squirrel took it upon its furry little shoulders to undo our efforts, kicking dirt all over the back patio like it was auditioning for some sort of rodent rebellion. As soon as I swept the mess back into the pots and turned my back, there it was again, gleefully scattering dirt everywhere. It felt like a ridiculous game of cat and mouse, except I was the one always losing.

Then, out of nowhere, my daughter unknowingly dropped some sage advice. She was telling me about an annoying boy at school who had been pestering her. “I just ignored him,” she said, “and the next day, he found someone else to bother.” Lightbulb moment! That was the wisdom I needed for my sneaky squirrel situation.

So, the next day, I stopped trying to outsmart the squirrel. I adopted my daughter’s foolproof ‘ignore strategy.’ Sure enough, after a few days, the squirrel seemed to sense my newfound resolve. Without me frantically chasing after it, the squirrel packed up its dirty little antics and moved on—to my neighbor’s pots, where it found a new playground. 🤣

Isn’t that just like the devil? He’s always up to something, trying to get our attention, hoping we’ll chase after him, get worked up, and make a mess of things ourselves. But James 4:7 reminds us of a simpler strategy: resist. Sometimes that means standing firm and ignoring his attempts to pull us into chaos. Other times, it means waging serious spiritual warfare. Either way, don’t let him make you his personal plaything—you don’t work for him. Draw the line, stand your ground, and use the strategy God gives you.

Focus Scripture

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you –  James 4:7