Dad and Mom were having an early breakfast when they saw something unusual. Sitting up in their tree was a dog eating berries! At least it looked like a dog. It had gray and rust colored fur on its back and a white underbelly. It was a very pretty animal, with a pointy nose, big ears, bright eyes and a long, furry tail.
Dad said, “I think I’ll get my camera and take its picture.” The activity frightened the animal, and it climbed down the tree and ran away.
The next morning the family looked for the animal again. This time there was a young one and a full-grown one. The big one climbed the tree and started eating berries. The little one ate the berries on the ground. Dad got a good picture of them that morning, and the family took the picture to the police station.
They asked the policeman on duty if anyone had ever seen these dogs before. “Oh, yes,” the police officer said. “These are gray foxes. They are found in desert places and around rock piles. They often sleep in trees to get away from coyotes, other foxes and even dogs, all of which can’t climb trees.” They learned later that these gray foxes have strong, hooked claws that allow them to scramble up trees. When they come back down, they usually jump from branch to branch or slowly back down like a house cat does.
The Bible tells us a little about foxes. In Song of Solomon 2:1515Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. (Song of Solomon 2:15) it says, “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” The owners of grape vineyards do not like foxes, because they will eat the grapes right off the grapevines.
Besides eating fruit, gray foxes eat mice and rabbits and other small rodents. The foxes will climb up on rocks to watch for these smaller animals as they scurry around down below. Even though foxes are pretty animals, they are sly and sneaky and also wild and fierce. They don’t make good pets.
Foxes that can climb were known back in Bible times. Nehemiah 4:33Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. (Nehemiah 4:3) tells us that two men, Sanballat and Tobiah, were making fun of the Israelites who were building a wall to protect their city. Tobiah said, “Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.” But these two men were wrong, because the Israelites did build a strong wall.
Some of the prophets in Ezekiel’s time told the Israelites things that were evil and frightened them. The Lord God said, “O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts” (Ezekiel 13:44O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. (Ezekiel 13:4)). Those prophets were being sly and sneaky, just like the foxes.
Do you wonder why God tells us about these animals? Perhaps to remind us that being sly or sneaky is for the foxes and not for boys and girls and grown-ups that know how to please the Lord Jesus. There are several verses that God has given us to tell us how we should behave. “Let no corrupt communication [telling lies] proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good” (Ephesians 4:2929Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)). Anyone who belongs to Jesus should always be honest and truthful. Another verse has a good reminder for us: “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:3232And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)).
Can each one of you remember to be honest, kind and forgiving this week? That would really please the Lord Jesus, who was always kind, loving and good.
ML-10/02/2011