Squirrels, let it be said, are not my friends. At this time of year, they’re fond of digging up my gardens looking for the nuts that they assume I must have buried there for them.
"Oh, you’ve turned that earth? Maybe you’ve hidden a nut under this green bean seedling. Let me dig it up to see! No? What about this one?"
At this time of year, the juvenile squirrels are out and about, just now down from the nests, noodling about in the grass. These little critters are cute as can be, but they’re also tiny little fools. They're oblivious to the world even though their parents clearly haven’t gotten them a smartphone yet.
This last week, on one of my morning walks, two adolescent squirrels were noodling around at the base of an oak as my dog Norm and I walked towards them. Norm noticed their presence, but seemed a little befuddled, because the adolescent squirrels paid him no mind.
At this time of year, the juvenile squirrels are out and about, just now down from the nests, noodling about in the grass. These little critters are cute as can be, but they’re also tiny little fools. They're oblivious to the world even though their parents clearly haven’t gotten them a smartphone yet.
This last week, on one of my morning walks, two adolescent squirrels were noodling around at the base of an oak as my dog Norm and I walked towards them. Norm noticed their presence, but seemed a little befuddled, because the adolescent squirrels paid him no mind.
They just sat there as we approached. Seven yards. Still sitting. Five yards. Still those squirrels didn’t seem to care. Three, and they weren’t moving. Norm was being a very good boy, and not lunging, because again, he was being a very good boy, but Lord have mercy, did he want to go get ‘em.
So at two yards out, I said, “go-git’em” and he surged forward, and both of those nonchalant little rodents suddenly realized three things. 1) the world is a scary place; 2) dogs have mouths full of big teeth, and 3) there’s a reason they live in trees. Up they scurried in a panic, Norm literally inches behind them.
Did he catch them? No, no he did not, because he was still attached to me. But as we passed that tree, I looked at the nattering, panicked squirrels now high above and muttered to myself, “Well. Did we learn a valuable lesson today?”
Young squirrels aren’t yet wary. They haven’t learned yet the way of the world around them, filled with dogs and cars, hawks and cats. Faced with something they don’t recognize, their instincts haven’t yet been honed by the perils of the world.
Just because you’ve discovered Christ’s new path of life, it doesn’t mean you’re not as vulnerable as a kit.
So at two yards out, I said, “go-git’em” and he surged forward, and both of those nonchalant little rodents suddenly realized three things. 1) the world is a scary place; 2) dogs have mouths full of big teeth, and 3) there’s a reason they live in trees. Up they scurried in a panic, Norm literally inches behind them.
Did he catch them? No, no he did not, because he was still attached to me. But as we passed that tree, I looked at the nattering, panicked squirrels now high above and muttered to myself, “Well. Did we learn a valuable lesson today?”
Young squirrels aren’t yet wary. They haven’t learned yet the way of the world around them, filled with dogs and cars, hawks and cats. Faced with something they don’t recognize, their instincts haven’t yet been honed by the perils of the world.
Just because you’ve discovered Christ’s new path of life, it doesn’t mean you’re not as vulnerable as a kit.
All those old hungers...lust and greed, hatred and bigotry, anxiety and paralyzing fear? Those are all waiting, prowling, lurking within you. There are still people who will hate you for no reason, or harm you to further their own desire for power. There are still blighted souls who will manipulate you and betray your trust.
All of that remains true, even though Jesus has shown us the way not to let that be true for us and our dealings with those around us.
Keep yourself disciplined, maintaining your focus and your commitment to the Way of Jesus, because complacency just makes you easy pickings for the brutes, hucksters and demagogues outside, and the stirrings of your own worst self within.
All of that remains true, even though Jesus has shown us the way not to let that be true for us and our dealings with those around us.
Keep yourself disciplined, maintaining your focus and your commitment to the Way of Jesus, because complacency just makes you easy pickings for the brutes, hucksters and demagogues outside, and the stirrings of your own worst self within.
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