What is this strange thing coming down the forest trail, looking like a miniature gray trolley car loaded with passengers all hanging onto an overhead support? It turns out to be a mother opossum carrying eight babies who are strung along her back and clinging to her long, bare tail which she arches completely over herself. The mother is very careful about her big family.
Female opossums are the only animals in the United States and Canada that have pouches (like kangaroos have). Baby opossums are no bigger than a bumblebee when born outside this pouch, and within two minutes they smell their mother's milk located in her pouch and climb in, remaining there for three months. For a few more months after that, they are given the piggy-back rides while their mother introduces them to fruits, nuts, insects, fish, frogs and vegetation.
One thing the mother doesn't have to teach them is how to "play possum," for this is an instinct given to them by the Creator when He first placed them on the earth, and it is carried on from generation to generation. When danger threatens, instead of trying to run away (they're not too fast on their feet) they fall to the ground, jaws dropping open, tongues hanging out, eyes glazed and barely breathing—looking just like a dead animal and even giving off that kind of an odor.
A fox or coyote might come right up to them, but they do not move a muscle nor blink an eye and are usually left alone because the attacker is not interested in dead meat. People, too, have found them this way and grabbed their fur, shaking them just to see what will happen, but they always lie perfectly still until the danger is past. Isn't it wonderful how the Creator has given them this ability?
As we consider the various habits God has given all His creation, we look on in amazement. One important provision He has given each of us is an intelligence to understand His precious Word, the Bible. There we find that He loves us, and He knows all about us. We also find that we are lost sinners. Yet His desire is that we might live forever in His heavenly home, although we cannot go there with our sins on us.
Does the Bible provide a remedy for us? Yes. In Titus 2:13-1413Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:13‑14) we read of "the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity [sin]." If we admit to Him that we are sinners and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ who died to save us from our sins, God will then accept us as His very own sons and daughters forever and ever. How important it is to do this right now!