“Scritchy, scritchy, scratch... scratch, scritchy, clatter.”
I wonder what that noise is. thought Mr. Mackey, glancing at the print shop door. It was evening, and no one was working in the print shop. He was the only person in that part of the building, and he was in the lunchroom sitting at a table doing some paperwork. The noise stopped, so he went back to his work.
“Scritchy, scratch, scritchy... scratchy, clatter.”
There it is again, he thought. Someone must have left one of the machines running in the print shop. Again the noise stopped, so he went back to his work.
A few minutes later Mrs. Kelly came though the lunchroom on her way back to the print shop to pick up some newly printed booklets. Stopping at the print shop door to chat with Mr. Mackey, she too heard the noise.
“Scritchy, scratchy... scratch... scratch, clatter.”
Opening the door, she flipped on the light switch and immediately saw what was making the scritchy, scratchy, clatter sounds. It was not a machine. There at her feet was the cutest, tiny, gray mouse... but his right hind foot was caught in a mousetrap!
“Scritchy, scritchy, scritchy, scrihy scratch, clatter.” Now the little mouse was really frightened and was trying to get away from her. But he couldn’t make any headway. He could use only three of his feet, and the trap was too heavy for him to drag more than a few inches. He was trying so hard to run away using his three feet that were free. But they would only skid on the smooth floor, and the trap barely moved.
I know some of you children like mice. Maybe some of you have even had a white mouse for a pet. They are fun to watch and hold.
However, not very many grownups like mice. Ladies especially don’t like them, because they get into the kitchen cupboards and chew boxes open, eating cereal and other things and leaving a dirty mess behind.
When God first made mice, they didn’t ruin boxes of cereal. Sin had not come into the world, and everything was good. They had enough food in the garden and were content where they lived. Adam and Eve both liked them then. But Satan tempted Adam and Eve to sin, and when they sinned, that ruined everything. Mice and rats couldn’t find enough food to eat after that, and soon they were sneaking into kitchens to find food.
The little mouse in our story (let’s call him Scruffy) had probably come into the print shop a few days earlier to get out of the rain. And he could have been heading for the lunchroom to see if he could find some dinner. Instead, he got himself caught in a mousetrap! Poor Scruffy.
Let’s see what happened.
Mrs. Kelly felt so sorry for Scruffy and called to Mr. Mackey to come see what she had found.
When he saw poor little Scruffy struggling to get away, he felt sorry for him too. Mrs. Kelly said she’d like to open the trap and let him go free. Then Mr. Mackey said maybe Scruffy should be let go outside. That was a better idea, and so that’s just what he did. He carried the trap outside and opened it. Scruffy scampered away.
Mrs. Kelly felt much better because she likes mice, and she felt so sorry for Scruffy. Now, can you keep a secret?...
I think Mr. Mackey likes mice too. But we have to keep it a secret, because If Mrs. Mackey doesn’t like mice, she might not be very happy to know that he likes mice. You see, Mr. Mackey could have quickly killed Scruffy right there in the print shop, but instead he was kind and carried Scruffy and the trap outside and set him free.
Now I have something to tell you that isn’t a secret. God loves you and me even though we are sinners and have done many things that are wrong. And He loves us so much He made a plan so we could be set free from our sins. He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus, to die on the cross and bear the punishment for sin. And the Lord Jesus will gladly set you free from your sins if you will just let Him. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:3636If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36).
You know, if Mrs. Kelly had been alone when she found Scruffy, she probably would have opened the trap and let him go free right there in the print shop. And can you guess what might have happened next? After his foot felt better, Scruffy would have headed back to the lunchroom for that dinner he was looking for. But our story wouldn’t have had a happy ending then, because... there are other mousetraps set in the print shop and in the lunchroom. And can you guess what kind of bait is in those mousetraps? I’ll tell you — cheese and peanut butter — Scruffy’s favorite foods! The next trap might have done lots more harm to Scruffy than just catching his foot. It might have caught his head... and that would have been the end of poor little Scruffy.
So aren’t you glad Mr. Mackey set Scruffy free outside where he wouldn’t get caught again? I am.
And I’m also very glad that when the Lord Jesus sets us free from our sins, He gives us eternal life and promises that we are safe. “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” John 10:28-3028And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30I and my Father are one. (John 10:28‑30). Satan can never trap us in our sins again... because all our sins are gone.
Are your sins gone? Or are you still caught in Satan’s trap?
ML-12/20/1987