Everything has enemies. Animals fight each other. Fish kill one another. Insects prey on other insects. Birds chase bugs wherever they see them. Spiders try to catch prey in their webs. Because sin is in the world, there is hatred everywhere. But God has equipped living things with some marvelous ways of defending themselves.
No matter what color the top of a fish may be, the underside is white or nearly white. This keeps its enemies below it from seeing it easily in the water. The backs of some fish are colored to match the surroundings. I once watched a flounder as it swam around in the water. When it gradually sank to the bottom where there was lots of sand, I could hardly tell what was sand and what was fish. Another fish, when attacked, throws out a black, inky substance like a smoke screen. While its enemies are trying to find it in the dark, murky water, it gets away.
A very strange little fish gave me a good laugh one day at the seashore. The tide was going out, and I was slowly following the water as it retreated, looking for unusual fish. I spied a strange-looking one, something like a littleneck clam. I hurried over to get it. But that little fellow bored his way down into the sand so fast that he was out of sight when I reached the spot. I stooped over to put my hand down into the hole and up came a squirt of water and sand right in my face! Of course, by that time the little fellow had escaped. Wasn’t he smart! He somehow knew I couldn’t see with my eyes full of sand and water.
The spider, the wasp and the bee defend themselves by their bite or sting. Snakes are defended by their ugliness, their strength, and also their terribly poisonous bite.
Brilliantly-colored birds are very easily seen in trees and bushes. So the Lord protects them by giving them swift flight. Some of the large, brightly-colored birds, like the parrot, have such very strong beaks and sharp claws that their enemies are afraid to attack them. Eagles fly so high and so swiftly that other birds can’t follow them, and the hunter can’t reach them.
Lions defend themselves by their strength and so do elephants. They also have speed and can hurry away quickly. The Lord made alligators without the ability to run very fast, but He gave them a coat of armor, thick, hard, and stiff, to protect them in their slow progress. He also gave them many sharp teeth and tremendously strong jaws and tail.
The turtle is a strange little animal. It has a “house” made of a very hard substance, almost as hard as stone. When danger is near, it pulls back into its house, closes all the “doors” and “windows,” and waits to see what will happen. If a dog barks, it does not open the “door” to see what is going on. It knows better. The dog would try to pick it up. As long as it stays in its shell, the dog cannot kill it. There is no taste to the shell, so nothing wants to eat it.
So, you see, all living things have some means of protection—even children like you. The heavenly Father knows that boys and girls are not very wise or strong. So He gave them fathers and mothers to take care of them and give them food and clothes. And He provided the Lord Jesus Christ to protect them from sin and Satan, the worst enemies of all. The Bible says, “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:1414And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14)). That means that Jesus died on the cross so that God wouldn’t ever have to punish you for your sins. Wasn’t it good and wonderful of Him to do that for you! “Giving thanks always for all things unto God” (Ephesians 5:2020Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (Ephesians 5:20)).
No one is safe from sin and Satan unless he belongs to the Savior. But all who trust Him are safe. Boys and girls, have you put your trust in Jesus? If you haven’t, won’t you do it right now? Accept Him as your Savior. Then He will always defend you against all enemies.
Just as the turtle has its shell and the alligator its thick, hard hide, so boys and girls who trust the Lord Jesus are given armor for defense. Read about it in Ephesians 6. Every part of it represents the Lord Jesus in His protecting care. He keeps the thoughts and minds of those who believe His Word. He guides the feet in paths of obedience as taught in the Bible. He will love you through life, through death, and through eternity.
ML-12/30/2018