An Act of Nature

Has nature ever taught you something? This week nature presented us with a remarkable learning experience.
As you may have noticed, the June Bugs are out. In response to their using our fruit and chestnut trees as a Smorgasbord, out came the spray rig loaded with insecticide. Our dog Blondie was romping in and out of the woods as the trees were being rescued from being lunch for the June Bugs. Wandering in the woods is Blondie’s favorite activity when we are working outside. As she poked around in the undergrowth came a sound that sounded like a kitten. The thought that came to mind was, oh Blondie be careful if that is a feral cat, you will lose the battle!

We called her to save her from what might be a painful encounter. She came out of the underbrush, pushing a very young fawn. The fawn, of course, was bleating, and then she just curled up like nothing was wrong. Blondie pushed at the fawn in the same way she pushes Hennessey (our other dog) to encourage Hennessey to play. She was not trying to hurt the fawn, just trying to get it to play. All attempts to get Blondie to leave the fawn alone failed.

The only solution was to pick up the fawn, drive the side-by with the fawn back the house in hopes Blondie would follow. It worked. We got Blondie back in the house. Of course, the fawn was not happy about being picked up. She only calmed down when she laid against my leg on the bench in the side-by. It seems the rumbling of diesel side-by made her think she was next to her Mother.

Then, back in the side-by to return to the location where the fawn came out of the woods. Once placed on the ground, she looked up at me, did not move but started to bleat for her Mother. A rustle in the woods followed, and off she ran to Mom.

Thinking about what just happened, a question came to mind. How often do we deny that we are in danger or have a problem? Our response is to just deny we need help. We go to denial instead of facing our issue, be it a hurt, a hang-up, or a harmful habit. Our thought is - if we just ignore it, it will go away.

Now, help arrives, or someone suggests how to get help, and we turn it down. Why? One reason maybe we don’t want to admit we can’t handle it ourselves. Or, we don’t want to feel like a burden. It might be we are afraid our request will be turned down. It might be we just want to control everything or avoid anything that feels like a handout. We just can’t admit we are powerless to solve our problem on our own.

So what does the Bible tell us? Here are four Proverbs, where God tells us to ask for help from others.

Where no counsel is, people fall: but in the multitude of counselors, there is safety. Proverbs 11:14 Without advice, plans go wrong, but with many advisers, they succeed. Proverbs 15:22 Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice. Proverbs 20:18 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. Proverbs 12:15

What does this act of nature show us? Don’t live in denial, it is ok to admit we don’t have the power to solve our problems, and there is help out there for you.

A pray for today ..

Dear God, Your Word tells me that I can’t heal my hurts, hang-ups, and habits by just saying that they are not there. Help me! Parts of my life, or all of my life, is out of control. I now know that I cannot “fix” myself. It seems, the harder that I try to do the right thing, the more I struggle. Lord, I want to step out of my denial, accept my powerlessness, and step into the truth. I pray for You to show me the way. In Your Son’s name, I pray. AMEN

Even birds and animals have much they could teach you; ask the creatures of earth and sea for their wisdom. All of them know that the Lord's hand made them. It is God who directs the lives of his creatures; everyone's life is in his power. Job 12:7-10 (GNT)