Social media is full of heartwarming stories with a religious focus. Unfortunately, many of them spread misconceptions in the pursuit of spiritual application. Rarely do they ever hold up under scrutiny. I ran across one such story the other day from an unknown author:

A rattlesnake bit one of my sheep in the face about a week ago. Deadliest snake that lives around here. The sheep’s face swelled up and hurt her terribly. But the old rattlesnake didn’t know the kind of blood that flows through the sheep. Anti-venom is most often made from sheep’s blood. The sheep swelled for about 2 days but the blood of the lamb destroyed the venom of the serpent. I was worried but the sheep didn’t care. She kept on eating, kept on drinking and kept on climbing because she knew she was alright. Don’t worry about the serpent or his bite, just make sure that the Lamb’s Blood is flowing through your veins.

This is a great story with a powerful message. Sadly, two significant issues make it completely unbelievable. 

First, sheep don’t have a natural immunity to snake venom. They are used in medical research and antivenom production because of practical reasons like their size, immune response, and ease of handling. However, the process of using sheep’s blood to make antivenom begins with immunizing the animal to begin the production of antibodies. This is not natural immunity. The story’s description of the sheep shrugging off a rattlesnake bite is supremely implausible. 

Second, the story’s application doesn’t align with biblical teaching. Comparing the lamb’s blood to the blood of Christ is incredibly appealing but theologically mistaken. Jesus offers spiritual cleansing but doesn’t grant immunity to sin or temptation. 

How do we avoid getting duped by stories like this? Here are a few helpful things to keep in mind:

Practice critical thinking. Ask questions like, “Does this seem too good to be true?” or “Does this really make sense?” Be wary of stories that tug at your heartstrings. Many powerful stories are out there, but if they’re not true, they’re not worth sharing. Double-check the truthfulness of the story. If it’s true, you should be able to verify its claims in credible sources. A quick online search can help reveal whether a story is fabricated. Examine the author or origin of the story. Most of them are either anonymous or written by someone with no credentials. They could be exaggerated accounts of something that might have happened but have been blown out of proportion through multiple retellings. Some of them are like big fish stories that grow progressively more fantastic over time with each new iteration. Take a hard look at the theology espoused in the story’s application. To put it simply, ask whether the story and its message align with biblical teaching.

I enjoy a positive, encouraging story as much as anyone. There are a lot of good ones out there. But we need to make sure the ones we share are truthful.