Don’t Leave the Door Open!

All the protection in the world doesn’t matter if the door stays open.


 The other day I stood looking at the coop and run, noticing all the layers of protection we put in place when we first built it. We made sure the hardware cloth went all the way down the sides and stretched out about a foot into the ground. Then we added cinder blocks on top of that cloth so nothing could dig underneath. After a few visits from raccoons and opossums, we even ran electric wire along the top.

We’ve done everything we know to do to keep the chickens safe.

As I looked at that well-protected coop, it hit me—none of it matters if we leave the door open. All the fencing, wire, and careful planning can’t stop a predator from walking straight in if we forget that one simple step. Closing the door is the most important part.

It made me think about my own life. God has put so many protections in place for us—His Word, His Spirit, wise counsel, boundaries meant to keep us safe. But if I leave the door open, the enemy can still find a way in.

Leaving the door open can look like the words I choose to speak, the thoughts I allow to stay, or the moments I choose my own way instead of obedience to God. Protection isn’t just about what God provides; it’s also about my daily decision to close the door.

Just like with the chickens, faithfulness happens in the ordinary moments—walking out to the coop at night, turning that latch, doing the small thing that keeps danger outside where it belongs.

“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” – Psalm 141:3

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