The Creator has provided interesting ways for many of His creatures to protect themselves from danger while gathering food. He has given them various camouflages so they cannot be easily seen.
One of these is the katydid, an insect that has green wings which match the color of the leaves where it nests. These wings also cover its back, like a strong armor, keeping birds from attacking it.
In South America the false-eyed frog has large imitation eyes on its back. When this little fellow is in danger, he turns his back and raises his rear. Usually the attacker, looking at the fierce imitation eyes and the legs and toes which have been bent in such a way that they look like claws, leaves in a hurry. If not, the frog can further help hurry it on its way by a bad-smelling sticky substance it excretes from the same eyespots.
A yellow-green caterpillar, called synchlora, bites off bits of flowers from the plant it wants to feed on and attaches them all over its body with sticky threads. Then it’s ready to feed on the plant, fully disguised and safe from birds that would otherwise quickly eat it.
Another interesting insect is the walking stick. Remaining perfectly still on a bare branch, it attracts no attention. A person passing by would never realize that what looks like a dead twig is actually a living insect.
The Creator has also provided many birds with colors that hide them. One example is the woodcock and its chicks. Nesting on a low spot of ground, they all have speckled back and side feathers that look just like their surroundings. A person walking through the woods might unintentionally step on one if the bird did not startle him by jumping or flying out of the way.
One master of disguise is the chameleon. It can change colors very quickly and also show designs in its skin to fit in with its environment. The Bible talks about chameleons in the Old Testament as an unclean animal (Leviticus 11:3030And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. (Leviticus 11:30)), which means it was an animal an Israelite was not supposed to eat. It reminds us of a person who changes how they act according to the people they are around, and God is letting us know that’s not how we should act. When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, He was always faithful to God, no matter what it would cost Him. Ephesians 5:88For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (Ephesians 5:8) says, “Now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” Do you let your light shine when you are around others?
Messages of God’s Love 2/19/2023