The Pumpkin That Caught Geese [Brochure]

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Fall had come, and the Native American hunter stood looking at his garden. The only vegetables remaining in it were pumpkins. He looked up as some geese flew noisily overhead and landed on a marsh nearby. His vegetables were good food, but so were geese. He knew that if he succeeded in shooting one or two with his gun, the others would be frightened away. Looking again at his pumpkins, he had another idea.

He picked up a pumpkin, cut off the top, and scooped out the seeds. Then he carved a face on the pumpkin, replaced its top, and carried it over to the marsh. Carefully, he set the pumpkin in the water and gave it a push toward the geese. The geese were afraid of it at first, but as the pumpkin lay peacefully in the water, they gradually overcame their fear.

The next day, the hunter set another carved pumpkin floating on the marsh. The geese were less afraid of this one. Each day, the hunter set another pumpkin in the water. By the time there were five there, the geese were freely swimming among them.

Trapped!

The sixth morning, the hunter carefully chose the largest pumpkin from his garden. This time, he cut the bottom out of the pumpkin. After removing the seeds, he carved a face as usual and carried the pumpkin and a large bag with a heavy stone in it to the marsh. Placing the pumpkin over his head, he carefully waded into the water, deeper and deeper, until only the pumpkin showed above the water. Then he waited.

A goose soon swam near him. Swiftly, almost noiselessly, the hunter grabbed it by the legs and pulled it under the water and into his bag. One after another the unsuspecting geese swam near him and disappeared. When his bag was full, the hunter waded out of the marsh, happily looking forward to some good goose dinners.

The Biggest Death-Trap

It was all so simple, wasn’t it! The hunter used a trick to get his treat, and the geese were fatally fooled. Sometimes people are fooled, too. There are many things in life which look harmless enough and yet are fatal. We hear warnings about drugs and other harmful things and often forget the most common and most serious death-trap of all. It is called SIN.

God’s Word, the Bible, says, “Fools make a mock at sin” (Proverbs 14:9). To them, sin may seem quite harmless — may even seem humorous — like a quietly grinning pumpkin. But God warns us that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Sin, Satan and hell are real, just as the pumpkins, the hunter and the bag were real.

Whether you laughed at the geese or felt sorry for them, think about yourself. Are you in danger? Is there sin in your life? God says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The good news is that God loves you, and He has done something about your danger: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Don’t be caught by sin! Be saved.

“The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

JAK

(Origin: Albert Hayhoe & Charlotte Prost. Also available as a Full-Color Gospel Tract, BTP #5797, and in French)