A writer in “The Scientific American” tells an interesting story of how an alligator sometimes gets his dinner.
The alligator is a lazy fellow, and instead of hunting for something to eat, he lets his victims hunt him. He lies on the surface of the water with his great mouth open, and like the possum, appears dead. Soon a bug crawls into his open jaws, then a few gnats and mosquitoes land, and finally a swarm of flies. But the alligator does not shut his mouth yet. He is waiting for a whole drove of things to enter.
A little later a lizard will cool himself under the shade of the upper jaw. Then maybe a small bird will come for a meal. After that perhaps a few frogs will hop up to catch the mosquitoes. More flies and little reptiles arrive until a whole crowd of creatures are having an afternoon picnic.
Suddenly there is an earthquake. The big jaw falls, the alligator blinks his eye, gulps down the entire menagerie, and opens his great front door again for more visitors.
That is like the trap that so unexpectedly closes upon pleasure seekers who choose the wrong company. “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.” Exodus 23:22Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: (Exodus 23:2).
“Be not deceived"; sooner or later, “evil communications corrupt good manners.” 1 Corinthians 15:3333Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (1 Corinthians 15:33). Don’t go with the crowd, dear young friends. The Lord Jesus tells us, “Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.”
ML-10/08/1978