Bears are found in many parts of the world. There are brown bears and black bears, grizzly bears and polar bears. Wherever they are, though they have different colors, they have very similar habits. They are good swimmers and they can climb trees. They are very strong and fierce; yet they move very quietly. In fact, they hardly ever make a noise with either their mouths or their feet.
Nearly all bears are vegetarians. A few eat meat, but most of them eat roots and berries, little twigs, tender leaves, and honey. Usually they do not eat their enemies, because as I have just said, very few bears eat meat. If they meet an enemy, they fight him with their two strong front legs and paws, striking so hard and tearing so fiercely with their claws that they kill him.
God made bears quite different from lions or cows. He speaks of bears in the Bible to discourage people who are cunning, sly, stealthy, and cruel. I hope that none of my young friends will be like that. You let the Lord Jesus make you a sweet, devoted Christian who loves the Lord, loves His Word—the Bible—and loves to be good. If Christ dwells in your heart by faith, then you will be a new creature in Christ Jesus, saved by His grace. The Scripture says: “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)). Again the Bible says: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature...” (2 Cor. 5:77(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) (2 Corinthians 5:7)).
Baby bears love to play. They run and tumble like puppy dogs. They box each other’s ears with their paws. They bite each other—but not very hard. They have such a good time! I have a picture at home of three baby bears who had been playing together when two dogs got after them. My! how they ran for a tree and went right up to the very top of it. And there they sat on three little limbs while the dogs looked so disappointed.
The tree was the bears’ salvation. I remember reading in the Bible about a man named Simeon, who picked up the baby Jesus and said to God, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace... for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.” Jesus on the throne is our salvation, boys and girls. Be sure you run to Him when sin and Satan come after you.
Bears can be trained to do many tricks. I have another picture of a bear riding on a bicycle. They can be taught to roller skate and to box and to turn somersaults. Of course, they do not do these things naturally when they are alone, but only when they are made to do them. We would not be good, naturally, either; so the Lord Jesus changes us when we trust Him. He said, “A new heart will I put within you.” When He does that, then we will naturally and easily live Christian lives which will bring glory to God.
Bears have a peculiar way of sleeping. They do not stretch out like a dog or a cow; neither do they sleep on their knees as camels do. They lie down on their side and put all four feet together in a bunch. Along in the late fall, the bear will go down into a cave and lie down with all four feet firmly pressed together. He will go to sleep and not wake up until about April. He doesn’t get up to eat or drink or for any purpose. He just sleeps.
No doubt many of you wish you could get a good long sleep like that. But the alarm clock spoils it all or else Mother calls or maybe somebody comes in with a little cold water and sprinkles it on your face or on your feet. And doesn’t it feel terrible early in the morning?
The Lord says, “Awake, thou that sleepest and arise from among the dead and Christ will give you light.”
This means that the Lord Jesus wants you to be a praying boy or girl; He wants you to read your Bible, go to Sunday school, and learn to know God as the teacher and the preacher tell you about Him. You will be busy learning arithmetic and geography. The Lord wants you also to be busy learning to know Him and His will through His Word.
I do hope that each one will do this.