Buster was excited! What could this strange thing be? He had seen it climbing down out of a tree, and thinking that it was a cat, had come bounding over to play—or tease! —a bit.
But this creature was not a cat at all. He did not spit or try to scratch, he did not even run away from him. He just curled himself into a ball, tucked his feet under himself, and watched Buster.
Buster barked, loudly and fiercely, but the little eyes just watched him steadily. Even when Buster ran close, as though he were going to bite him, he did not move. It began to make Buster a little cross. All right, he would show him! He would not bite too hard, but-with a little rush Buster ran into him. With a surprised yelp of real pain Buster leaped back!
Why... why... what had happened? The little fellow still had not moved, but something had hurt terribly when he had bitten him. With another dash Buster was back to punish him, but again he bounded away in pain. Now in real fury he tried first one side and then another, until finally he could stand it no longer, and yelping with pain and shameful defeat he ran for home.
Calmly his porcupine playmate uncurled himself, and then walked slowly on his way!
Under the porch floor Buster was in misery. His nose, tongue, and mouth-his whole head was burning and stinging with what felt like fiery needles. Finally, at his master's call he came crawling out. With the help of a pair of pliers the quills were soon removed, and once more Buster crawled under the far corner of the porch, a much wiser, but very unhappy puppy!
Would you be surprised if I told you that many boys and girls choose just as strange a playmate as Buster chose? They choose to play with sin! They like to do many things that are wrong, go places they should not go, listen to things that are not clean. Oh, how many sharp, poisonous quills of sin enter into their hearts and minds that will someday cause great pain and sorrow!
How much better to choose the Lord Jesus for our Friend! He can wash away our sin and heal the sore spots that sin has left. He can and will give us real joy and happiness forever!