The Wonders of God’s Creation
Some time ago we studied the interesting salamanders. Let’s take a closer look at them. Closely related to lizards, there are over 300 species throughout the world. To maintain the moisture in their skins, most are found near ponds, streams or in marshy places. However, some in the tropics live high in treetops where they get moisture from cup-shaped leaves that hold water from frequent rainstorms.
In size, they range from one-inch to five-feet long. They also come in many colors, from orange-red to very dark black or brown or with mottled skins of mixed colors. All salamanders’ legs are short, but their tails are usually almost as long as the rest of their bodies.
All have been given large eyes and good vision by the Creator, as well as long tongues (about one-third the length of their bodies) which can flash out so quickly that even if you were watching closely you likely would miss the action. It’s not necessary for them to chase their prey (insects, millipedes, flies, etc.). Salamanders wait quietly on a rock or other bare surface until a victim comes by and capture it with a flick of their tongues.
While some species give birth to little ones, most hatch from eggs. The eggs have been laid at the side of a stream or pond, and after hatching, the young live on insects that come near them. When grown they leave these homes and make new ones in nearby brush or grass, or go into burrows or perhaps just under a pile of moist leaves.
Some have very flat bodies, allowing them to squeeze between tight leaves of moisture-retaining plants. These salamanders have been provided by the Creator with webs on their hands and feet, enabling them to hold to the smooth, wet foliage. Their tails that wrap around tree branches (like most monkeys) also help them when looking for food.
An unusual feature God has given salamanders is their ability to grow new tails, legs and some other body parts that have been torn off. Also, like a chameleon, they can change the color of their skin to match the rocks or soil around them.
These interesting creatures are seldom seen because they hunt mostly at night, but we can easily see one reason for their place in God’s creation — they are helpful to mankind. They destroy great quantities of insects and pests that would otherwise be eating farm crops, fruits, and other products.
Did you ever stop to think that God has a definite reason and place for you in His creation, too? The Bible tells us this, saying, “Every man [person] hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.” 1 Corinthians 7:77For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. (1 Corinthians 7:7). “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister [use] the same [gift] one to another, as good stewards [managers].” 1 Peter 4:1010As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10). If you ask the Lord Jesus to show you how to use your gift to please Him, He will surely make it plain to you.
ML-01/29/1989