Three crab fishermen were fishing off the coast of Newfoundland. A low gray ceiling of clouds covered the sky. The men were using their sea legs to keep their balance on the deck of their small boat that rolled up and down with the waves. Looking west, they could see the endless horizon where the water met the sky. Not another fishing vessel or a human being was in sight in all the watery expanse.
The fishermen had been busy dropping and checking crab pots and pulling crabs with their big claws out of them all day long. Often, as they cruised along, they would see icebergs. These icebergs came in all sizes and shapes. Breaking off from glaciers on land, the chunks of ice were sometimes sculpted into fantastic shapes by the wind and the waves.
The crab boat was cruising near an iceberg that had been carved into a strange shape. The waves and water had sculpted it so that it resembled a giant mushroom. Most of the iceberg was submerged underwater. They were cruising along looking at this shape, when one of the fishermen thought he saw something move on top of it. Looking closer, he saw that it was small and similar in color to the color of the ice. But at first, he couldn’t tell what kind of animal it was.
The three men knew sometimes animals get trapped on icebergs and float out to sea. The current was carrying the floating ice out towards the open Atlantic and away from the coast of Newfoundland. Whatever kind of animal it was, it would certainly die if it wasn’t rescued. They decided to cruise closer to the iceberg and check it out.
DANGER
Do you know that in this world every person is also in danger? In this world strong currents are carrying people away from God, who loves them, and setting them adrift on the sea of life. Sin sets them adrift and separates them from God. If they go on in their sins, it is only a matter of time before they come into judgment for the things they have done. God, who is holy, just and good, must punish sin in the universe He has made. People who die in their sins will end up in hell.
The animal on the iceberg, whatever it was, had no possible way it could return in its own strength to the shore of Newfoundland. It was too far to swim in the cold water. If it ever was going to be saved, it needed help from an outside source.
Sinners also have no way they can save themselves. They too are weak, and the distance between them and a holy God is too great. They need help from an outside source. Such help has come to them in the person of the Lord Jesus. From heaven, Jesus, the Son of God, came into this world. The Lord Jesus went all the way to the cross where He gave His life for sinners. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).
In perfect obedience to the Father, He went all the way to the cross, where “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:33For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (1 Corinthians 15:3)). The blood He shed has the power to wash away every sin. Because He offered up His life as a sacrifice for sin, He can save all those who are drifting away from God and headed to a lost eternity. If they will only turn to Him in faith, He will forgive their sins and grant them the gift of eternal life. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)).
RESCUE
The fishermen on the boat felt sorry for the little animal. They saw that the furry little thing looked half-starved and bedraggled. By its size, they knew it was an arctic fox. They had no idea how it got out there. But letting the poor animal die didn’t sit well with them. It would be dangerous to them and their small boat, but they decided that they would try to save it.
Carefully they maneuvered their fishing boat to the edge of the ice. They tried calling in gentle voices to the fox. “Come here, little boy,” they called. But the fox was leery of them and refused to come.
So, the men went to plan B. One of the men on board got a long pole they sometimes use to pull up crab pots. With the pole he pushed on the top mushroom part of the iceberg. Rocking it back and forth, he got it to sway. Then, splash, the whole thing came tumbling down and the little fox slid off it into ice cold water. Another of the fishermen took a long-handled fishing net and scooped the small creature out of the water.
He set the fox down on the deck of the boat behind the pilothouse. Do you think the little fox appreciated what the men had just done for it? No, it was too scared and too close to total exhaustion after being pulled from the water. It collapsed on the deck and barely moved.
The men felt sorry for it. They could see it didn’t have much strength left. By putting wood chips in a plastic crate, they made a little bed for it. Then one of the men picked up the tiny fox and laid it in the crate. The fox was able to snuggle into the wood chips and warm up and dry off.
They wanted to give the rescued fox every chance of survival so they headed back toward the harbor. On the way, one of the men cooked Vienna sausages and fed them to the animal. At first the fox turned up his nose at them, but then hunger took over, and he ate them up. Who knows? It might have been the first meal he had eaten in several days.
When the men got back to shore, they kept the fox in a pen in a boathouse. They fed it and gave it plenty of water. After several days, the small fox looked healthy again. They brought it to the outskirts of their small town near a rocky hillside. Someone had built a small doghouse there for some reason, but it was now forgotten and weather-beaten. They put a little food in the doghouse and left the fox to fend for himself.
REMARKABLE KINDNESS
The three men on the fishing boat did a remarkable act of kindness by saving the fox. They captured it and brought it to land and made sure it was okay before releasing it. God appreciates kindness to animals. He appreciates kindness wherever it is found because He, Himself, is very kind. In the greatest act of love and kindness the world has ever known, “the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:1414And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14)). He sent His Son so that sinners drifting far from Him might return and find forgiveness, healing from the ravages of sin, food for their souls and a home in heaven. We have all drifted from God’s love and all need His forgiveness.
Will you continue to let the strong currents of sin carry you away from the God who loves you? Or will you return to Him in repentance and faith? What we do with the Lord Jesus in the one, short life God gives us will determine where we spend eternity.
Oh, don’t continue to drift away from Him. Believe in the Savior and you will at last make it home to heaven.
Kindness to another little creature in A Crying Baby Otter leads to a better understanding of God’s kindness to us.