Corky was a very playful and curious young dog. He was always getting into places where he shouldn’t or chewing on things that are not good for puppies. He liked to chase rabbits, squirrels, and even birds, but he could never catch them. He liked to chase cats, too. And when they didn’t run away, Corky would run circles around them, teasing them. He seemed to like to hear them hiss and scratch at him.
One day, Corky got very excited. He must have thought what he saw climbing down a tree was a cat. He bounded over to play with it, or tease it.
Soon he could see that this animal was not acting like a cat at all. It did not hiss or try to scratch him or run away. It just curled up into a ball with its feet tucked under its body and watched Corky.
Corky got more and more excited as he circled around it, barking loudly. The little eyes of this strange animal watched him guardedly. Even when Corky got close enough to nip at it, it still did not move. Corky moved in closer and closer. Still this “strange cat” did not move. But when Corky took a nip at it, he jumped back with a surprised yelp of pain.
Corky’s captive still had not moved, yet something had hurt him terribly when he had nipped it. Corky nipped it again, but again he jumped back yelping in pain. Now Corky was really mad. He tried to bite this animal on one side and then the other, only to jump back in pain each time. Finally, he gave up his attack, and yelping with pain he headed for home.
Then the porcupine uncurled himself and ambled off.
Corky crawled under the front porch in misery. His nose, tongue and mouth were burning and stinging with what felt like fiery needles. Finally, when his owner called him, he came crawling out. Loving hands comforted him, and the quills were soon removed. Corky once again crawled under the far corner of the porch, a much wiser, but a very unhappy puppy.
Would you be surprised if I said that some boys and girls choose a playmate that is just as strange as this porcupine? They decide to play with sin! They like to do things that are wrong, go places they know they shouldn’t, and say things that are not nice. These sharp, poisonous quills of sin will cause much pain and unhappiness, and lead them to hell.
The Lord Jesus sees these sharp, poisonous quills of sin causing you pain. He loves you and wants to save you. This Saviour and Friend will lovingly wash away your sins and heal the sore spots that sin has left. He will give you real joy and happiness forever!
ML-08/30/1981