There are many strange creatures in the oceans. One of the most unusual is the pufferfish, of which there are nearly 200 species. Pufferfish come in many different sizes and colors, from less than an inch up to 10 feet long, from plain to quite colorful. Some can change their color quickly.
Our title says, “Beware the Pufferfish!” for a very good reason; they have a toxin that makes them the deadliest fish in the seas. Their toxin is second only to the poison dart frog among vertebrates for humans. Yet, some chefs in China and Japan are trained in how to prepare them for eating. Even so, it is dangerous to eat their flesh, and many deaths do occur from eating them. In the seas, only sharks seem to be able to eat them without getting sick or dying.
Another defense the Lord has given pufferfish is their ability to “puff.” Puffing is a lifesaver, because they are not great swimmers. The reason for this is that they have no spine, and it is the spine which enables most fish to move their bodies easily, aiding them in swimming quickly. Because of their stiff bodies, it takes a lot of work for them to move through the water using only their fins, and they normally don’t swim very quickly. Although pufferfish have a skeleton, it is a very unusual one, because it has to be able to expand dramatically and quickly. If a pufferfish is attacked, it can fill its body with water or air to make itself two or three times larger than normal. Some also have strong, sharp spines on their bodies. These things make the slow pufferfish a hard fish to eat, saving the lives of both itself and the would-be predator, since their poison would make most fish get sick and possibly die.
The Creator has also given pufferfish amazingly strong jaws and hard, sharp teeth, fused together to make something like a beak, which easily crunches the toughest shellfish to eat the creature inside.
Spines, puffing up, poison, a sharp beak ... these things about the pufferfish remind me of the flesh in all of us. We can get very “prickly” if we feel like someone isn’t treating us just right, can’t we? Then our tongues can use words that hurt others more than poison. And we can “bite and devour one another” (Galatians 5:1515But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. (Galatians 5:15)) instead of loving our neighbors as ourselves, if we aren’t careful. You may hear from some people that you have to stand up for yourself because you are worthy of respect. How does that compare with our opening verses?
Did You Know?
Some pufferfish can change their color quickly.
Messages of God’s Love 8/10/2025