Jim had rented an old house with a garage where he could work on cars and trucks. He thought it would be a good idea to have a watchdog on the property because of all the tools and equipment he kept there. So Jim got himself a nice little dog and named him Ralph.
One day as he was busy sweeping the kitchen in the old house, a strange thing happened. He had moved Ralph’s water dish to one side, and then he moved Ralph’s dog biscuits (the kind that are shaped like little bones) out of the way. Then he began to sweep where they had been.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jim saw one of the dog biscuits move back across the floor. That’s very strange, thought Jim, and he pushed it out of his way again with the broom. Then he went back to his sweeping.
Slowly, the biscuit began to move back across the floor again. This time Jim stopped to watch, and Ralph, now by his side, also watched this strange happening with interest.
What do you think was moving that biscuit? It was a fat, little, gray mouse. This was a very brave mouse to try to carry that dog biscuit away right under the eyes of a dog and his master!
Jim reached down and picked up the biscuit, but the daring little mouse wouldn’t let go. It just hung on tightly with its little white teeth. Its little pink feet were waving frantically in the air, and its long skinny tail waved back and forth, but it still hung on. Jim gave the biscuit a hard shake, and the mouse flew off onto the floor. It quickly scampered off and down a hole in the baseboard.
All the time this was going on, Ralph just sat there with his head cocked to one side, watching. He must have thought that was a very interesting sight.
“You are the worst watchdog I ever saw,” scolded Jim as he looked for something to cover the hole in the baseboard. He found some aluminum foil, folded it into several layers, and taped it over the hole.
As he picked up his broom he heard a frantic scratching noise behind the aluminum foil. The little mouse wanted back into the kitchen! It still wanted that dog biscuit!
Some of us are eager to get at things we should not have. We are just like that little mouse who wouldn’t give up. In Isaiah 9:2020And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: (Isaiah 9:20) the Bible tells us, “He [the sinner] shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied.”
Jim was so disgusted with that little mouse that he dropped his broom, put on his baseball cap, and went out to his pickup truck. Off he went to the store and bought a package of cheese and crackers and a mousetrap.
When he got back he put half a cracker with some cheese on it in the trap and set it. Then he removed the aluminum foil and placed the trap near that hole in the baseboard. He and Ralph sat down to watch while they ate the rest of the cheese and crackers.
Sure enough, out came that daring little mouse and headed right for the delicious-smelling cheese and crackers.
Be careful, children! Satan may tempt you first with something you would like very much. Even though you know it is something you should not do or should not have, you may enjoy it and think no harm has been done. The hungry little mouse thought that dog biscuit was so good.
After that, Satan will tempt you with something that he knows you would like even more . . . and he often puts it in a dangerous place. The hungry little mouse wasn’t interested in the dog biscuits anymore when he smelled the cheese and crackers. But he didn’t notice that the cheese and crackers were in a dangerous place - a mousetrap!
“BANG!” went the trap. The little mouse was caught!
Beware, children! You may find yourself trapped in places where you are not supposed to be and doing things that are wrong. “He [the sinner] is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare. . . . The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.” Job 18:8,108For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare. (Job 18:8)
10The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way. (Job 18:10).
The Lord Jesus loves you very much and wants to protect you from Satan. If you will come to the Lord Jesus and accept Him as your Saviour, He will forgive your sins and make you one of His own children. He has the power to keep you safe from Satan’s traps until He takes you safely home to heaven. “Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world.” Galatians 1:3,43Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (Galatians 1:3‑4).
ML-01/15/1995