Grabbing the Snake by the Tail: Leading From Vulnerability
When Moses stood before God in Exodus 4, he faced a strange test. The staff in his hand — ordinary, familiar — became a serpent at God’s command. Moses did what any of us would do: he ran. But then came the instruction that must have frozen him in his tracks:
“Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.”
Anyone who has dealt with snakes knows this is the most dangerous way to grab one. The head remains free, able to strike at will. Moses knew that. And God knew that too. This wasn’t just a miracle — it was a confrontation with fear, control, and trust.
The Intentionality of God
God could have told Moses to grab the serpent by the head — the “safer,” more strategic move. But that would have reinforced Moses’ instinct to control. By asking him to grab it by the tail, God was teaching him something deeper: obedience comes before safety. Trust comes before authority.
In that moment, Moses had to suspend his natural instincts and lean fully into God’s word. And when he obeyed, the dangerous serpent turned back into a staff of authority.
The Lesson for Us
For those of us leading in uncertain spaces — whether ministries, businesses, or personal callings — we often want to grab life by the head. We want control, strategy, and guarantees. But God often calls us to the tail — the vulnerable side, the risky posture, the place where our safety depends not on our grip but on His faithfulness.
In my own journey as a SaaS founder, I feel this acutely. Launching into the marketplace can feel like grabbing a serpent by the tail — visibility, competition, and the risk of rejection are all alive and well. Yet it’s in that very vulnerability that God often does His most transforming work. The authority to lead, to build, to influence — it doesn’t come from controlling the head but from trusting the One who commands the serpent in the first place.
From Danger to Authority
The transformation happens after obedience. The serpent only became a staff again when Moses reached out in trust. In the same way, the very things that feel dangerous — exposure, risk, vulnerability — can become the tools of authority and purpose in God’s hands.
The Invitation
The question, then, is this: What serpent is God asking you to pick up by the tail?
- Is it stepping into a calling you’ve avoided?
- Launching a vision you’ve feared might fail?
- Having a conversation that feels too vulnerable?
Whatever it is, the instruction is the same: don’t run, don’t grasp for control. Trust, obey, and watch God transform danger into authority.
Because in the end, leadership in God’s kingdom isn’t about mastering the head of the serpent. It’s about surrendering to the God who can turn it back into a staff.
Powerful, thanks Pst. Phil.
Most of the time we give excuses, are afraid to follow God’s instructions or to follow thru that idea because of the facts we see instead of the things we don’t that God already deposited in us or the things that we see but take for granted or as familiar therefore neglect to see that God, most of the time, do not use what we don’t have but what we have and minimize to make a miracle out of it. God uses the foolish things to dumbfound the wise.
Also, reading you and seeing this image, this came in my spirit as a confirmation that nothing happens on earth before you see it or encounter it in the spiritual. That test moment Moses had with God was a preparation for what he will do physically with Pharaoh. If he didn’t overcome that fear by passing God test of trust and obedience, I am not sure Moses would have made it with Pharaoh.
Now, I see clearly what God is doing with me at this moment. He speaks and shows us things but most of the time, we don’t listen or see because we are too distracted. Nothing happens in our life by mistake or surprise. Pay attention to how God speak to you; to know what will happen or what you need to work on to overcome. This is were I am and this brought me clarity and insight that I never thought about or took seriously before now.
May we receive the grace to trust and be obedient to God’s call even when we feel like we don’t have what it takes. 🙏🏽