“By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible.” Colossians 1:16
The name chinch bug comes from the Spanish word chinche, which means “pest.” And that’s exactly what the chinch bug is—a pest!
This black and white bug is so small that when it hatches from its egg, it is almost impossible to see without the help of a microscope. Although tiny, the newly hatched insect immediately starts searching for food. Its little legs have enough strength for crawling and clinging to plants. It quickly finds its way to stalks of wheat, oats, hay or other grasses where it begins feeding and becomes destructive and costly to the farmer. Armed with a sharp, sucking beak, it attaches itself to a stalk, sucking out the sap until the stalk dies. Then it moves on to another one while growing bigger and hungrier.
In about a month it grows to full size, having molted (shedding its outer skin) frequently while growing. At the last molt, wings appear usually about the time corn is beginning to ripen in the fields. Then it flies to the good-tasting corn to continue its destructive work.
At the end of summer, it searches out a place to hibernate. Then in spring when temperatures return to around 70 degrees, it comes out to continue its hungry feeding again.
We may not find anything good to say about chinch bugs, but they form part of God’s creation, and He has marvelously adapted them to their way of life. Perhaps He allows their destructive work to remind us that sin has come into the world and marred the perfection of His creation. Romans 8:22 tells us this: “We know that the whole creation [groans] and [travails] in pain together until now.” This means that sin has brought unpleasantness and suffering to all creatures, including even chinch bugs, which often are the victims of such enemies as birds, frogs, spiders and many others that search them out and eat them.
The Bible also tells of a coming time when all creation will again be perfect without the effects of sin. Isn’t it encouraging to know it will be restored? But before that takes place, those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour will be called up into heaven. Then soon after, severe punishment is going to fall on this evil world with all its sin. God’s promise to those who believe in His Son is this: “The dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Will you be included with those called into heaven? Or will you be with those left behind for punishment? Be sure you make the right decision!
ML-09/27/2015