The Porcupine "Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?" Job 35:11.
A three-foot-long porcupine suddenly appears in a quiet wooded area, moving noisily through dry leaves and underbrush, apparently unconcerned about the racket it is making. It has little to worry about, being safer from attack than just about any other animal and not even needing to run from a bear or a mountain lion.
Why does it feel so bold? Because it is covered from the top of its head to the end of its eight-inch tail with thousands of needle-pointed quills -some are big and hollow, some are smaller-that often rattle as it walks.
Many a dog has learned it is unwise to bother a porcupine. If a porcupine senses danger it turns its back, flares its quills and greets the attacker with a hard slap of its tail, leaving a number of barbed quills in the attacker's face and body. These quills can only be pulled out from dogs or cats by people. When an animal tries to remove them with its paws, they go in deeper and it usually means eventual death, especially when they are in the face or mouth. Incidentally, these quills are not "thrown" as some people think.
Their homes are often in a hollow log or a burrow under rocks where they are snug and warm in cold weather and where their little ones are born. The babies arrive with a full supply of quills which are soft and flexible, but soon harden. The mother raises them with no help from the father. Strangely, she can push these little ones or help them climb a tree without herself getting stuck by their quills.
Their main food is the tender tissue under the bark of trees. They may sit in the fork of a tree all day or out on the branches to enjoy buds, leaves and tender twigs. They also like various plants, roots, fruits and berries. Always hungry for salt, they break into cabins, eating all the butter they can find and any other salty food. They become troublesome by gnawing paddles, ax handles, leather, or anything stained with perspiration, because these have a salty flavor.
These odd animals are another example of the Creator's ways, giving them a quiet and peaceful life, but with ample means of protection against any who would harm them. In many ways this is an example of His love and care over us as well. The Bible encourages us to "lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." 1 Tim. 2:2. It is good to follow this instruction.
But, instead of wanting to "get even" with those who oppose us, as the porcupine does, we should tell them of God's love and let them know that God wants them to be saved and come to Him through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Try doing this some time. You may be happily rewarded.