The big, yellow dog strolled down the neighborhood street as if she didn't have a care in the world. She looked to be about a year old, with big, chocolate brown eyes. She turned into a long driveway with a gate that had been left open for a delivery truck. The dog had unknowingly turned into the service entrance of the Memphis Zoo.
“GET OUT OF HERE, DOG!” the gatekeeper yelled. But instead of turning around and running out, the dog started running towards the center of the zoo. The gatekeeper pulled a walkie-talkie radio out of his belt and reported, “ALERT, ALERT! ... THERE’S A STRAY DOG IN THE ZOO.” Soon every available zoo worker was trying to catch the big, yellow dog that was very fast on her feet and smart at avoiding capture. After several minutes of chase, workers finally cornered her in front of the big cat exhibit.
Being chased through the zoo had been a fun time for the dog, but that was about to change. The zoo workers were just about to grab her, when she saw a way to escape. The dog bolted towards a metal railing, jumped over it and did a free fall for several feet before splashing into water in a concrete moat. She was a good swimmer, and for a long moment her escape plan seemed to be working. She swam across the moat, got out on dry ground, shook the water out of her coat and looked around.
What the big dog saw striding towards her were two orange-and-black striped tigers, far bigger and more threatening than any animal she had ever seen before! The dog had jumped into the enclosure of some of the deadliest predators on the face of the earth!
One of the tigers pounced on the dog as easily as a house cat might pounce on a bird or mouse. The dog had no chance of fighting off the huge cat and was crushed to the ground. The big cat then picked up the dog’s limp body in its huge mouth. Death looked very close for the dog.
When people are young, they like to be carefree and happy, thinking they will live forever. But it simply is not true. Death may come at any time, and many people look at it like it is a leap into the unknown. However, the Bible plainly tells us what will happen after death. It tells of the suffering of those who have never repented of their sins. It also tells of the perfect happiness of those who die trusting in Christ as their Saviour. We can trust what the Bible says, because it is God’s Word: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:1616All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16)).
This pair of tigers had been born and raised in captivity and had never killed another animal. This fact may have saved the dog's life. The tiger never delivered the fatal bite for the long seconds it held the dog in its teeth.
The quick reactions of the zoo workers were also helpful in saving the dog. One of them lit a long string of firecrackers and tossed them into the enclosure. Firecrackers were always kept near the tiger exhibit for just such an emergency. Another worker blew a loud horn. All the sudden noise made the tigers jumpy and fearful. The tiger dropped the dog on the ground, and both large cats bolted back to their dens.
When the tigers were safely locked inside, workers rushed into the tiger enclosure to help the stricken dog. They saw she was bleeding from teeth marks around her neck and rushed the injured dog to the zoo veterinarian. He carefully cleaned the wounds and stitched them up.
A few days later, a photo in the newspaper showed the dog lying down on a table in the veterinarian's office. The happy look had once again returned to the dog's face. Next time she jumps a fence, we hope she will have learned to look a little more closely before she leaps. Zoo officials are trying to find the dog's owners.
“Look before you leap” is good advice, which would have saved the young dog a whole lot of trouble and nearly losing her life. It is good advice for sinners too. Don't wait until something serious happens to you before you accept Christ as your Saviour. Yours may not be just a “close call.” “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)). “He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)).
MEMORY VERSE: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)
ML-05/25/2008