THE FOX.
Dear Children:
You all, no doubt, know something of the fox. The cunning, sly rogue, who likes to slip into the hen-house at night and catch the poor sleeping chickens. You know, too, that he lives and hides in the day time in dens or holes in the ground. You have seen his picture with his sharp little nose, keen for scent, and pointed ears thrown forward as if to catch every sound. So, as I think you are quite well acquainted with his looks and his ways, we will go on to see what lessons we can learn from the scriptures in regard to him. There are three portions to which I would call your attention. The first is 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). “Take its the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” If you raised a grape-vine and took great care of it, you would expect to enjoy its fruits. What if you should find some morning that the sly “little foxes” had spoiled your vine? When Jesus was on earth, He came to His own people, the Jews, seeking fruit but found none. (His earthly people were spoken of under the figure of a vine, see Psa. 80-8). And so He seeks fruit, now, from His people. “Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples.” Do you believe in Jesus as your own Saviour? Do you want to be His disciple and bear fruit for Him? But do you ask—What is fruit? In Gal. 5:22:23 we find this beautiful list. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,” and these things may be found in the simplest duties of your every day life, if all is done cheerfully, heartily as unto the Lord. But suppose they are not done in this way, but with a shrug and a pout and an, “I wish I didn’t have to do this.’’ All! There is no fruit for God there. The “little foxes” of self-will or indolence, or something else have spoiled the vine. The “tender grapes” are missing. So let us be watchful and prayerful and “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines.”
Our next scripture we find in Luke 13:31-3431The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. 32And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. 33Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. 34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! (Luke 13:31‑34). Jesus says, “Go ye and tell that fox, etc,” in answer to those who had said, “Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.” Then turning to God’s own favored city, He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto her; how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!” Now a “fox” comes only to kill and destroy. Herod, the fox, (type of Satan) would have willingly destroyed Jesus—blessed Jesus—who longed to gather His people to Himself, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings. Now, dear children, what would you think of a little chick which would not go to the hen’s sheltering wings but preferred to stay where the fox could catch it? Just as foolish is any child or grown person who refuses to come to Jesus and prefers being out in the world, exposed to the craft of Satan. Yet this is what the Lord had to say to his earthly people— “How often would I have gathered thy children tether, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not.” Matt. 23: 37.
And so He has to say still to those who reject Him, I would but ye would not.
Just one scripture more. Matt. 8:2020And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. (Matthew 8:20). “Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” Just think of it! The One who made all things, who gave the cies the clefts in the rocks, the little birds their nests, and even the sly, cruel foxes holes in which to hide, had no where to lay His head.
“He came to die,” as the little hymn says. No place for Him down here where He found no fruit in His own vine, where His people would not be gathered. No, His home, His resting place was heaven—the Father’s house—but first He must die, that others might be there with Him. May you receive Him, be gathered by Him, bear fruit for Him and be waiting for Him to take you to His Father’s house is the earnest prayer of your friend, E. G. B.
ML 10/29/1899