“I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: [who] doeth great things... marvelous things without number.” Job 5:8,9.
Most people are familiar with honeybees. They are very useful in pollinating flowers, fruit trees, etc., as well as being the source of delicious honey. They, as well as wasps and other insects, are all an important part of God’s creation. However, people sometimes interfere with the plan God has made for them, and that is almost certain to lead to trouble.
Sad to say, that’s how killer bees have become a serious problem in areas of South and Central America. About 25 years ago some were brought to Brazil from their natural, God-given African homes. Beekeepers wanted to crossbreed them with honeybees of Brazil so they would produce greater amounts of honey, and then the beekeepers would make larger profits. But that was a serious mistake.
There are thousands of species of bees in the world, but only honeybees make honey and wax that man can use. And there are only four kinds of honeybees: the German, the Western, the European and the African. Each species was originally placed in its own geographical location with a particular nature best suited to its surroundings. The bees in Africa, for instance, have different things to cope with in the wild life of that country than the Western bees have. African bees defend themselves by flying together in huge angry swarms and attacking their enemies with more stings than could be counted.
The result of the unwise crossbreeding experiments in Brazil has been a new type of bee called “killer bees.” These are actually a cross between the African and the Western honeybees, with a few German honeybees also included. These killer bees attack in large masses when bothered and annoyed, and many animals and people have been killed by their many stings since these experiments started.
These vicious bees have gradually worked their way northward into Mexico, and even into the southern part of the United States in the last year. It does not appear that they will be a serious problem farther north, because they prefer the warmer climates of the south, like those in Africa and South America.
This tragic experience and resulting trouble should remind all of us that only God’s ways are perfect, and men should be very careful before making changes in them. How much better it is to do as the Bible verse at the beginning says, and to remember Psalm 25:4,5: “Show me Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation.”
ML-02/23/1992