When the grandkids were little I would get them on most weekends. If your a grandparent you know having grand babies for a weekend is a way to be easily reminded that your plans, your schedules are no longer yours.

Somehow our universe seems to completely shift to a world of small individuals that appear to have a greater power to overcome our personal cares and concerns making them the center of our choices and decisions….

In the course of our weekend visit, my middle grandchild was stung on the forehead by a red wasp. After a few tears he settled down to what appeared to be his normal self. That is until he got up the next morning and the upper part of his face was swollen. As we observed the continued swelling my granddaughter asked a very profound statement when she said: How can something that little do that Mimi?

It was a great opportunity to teach about the poison that wasp carry and how some peoples body can’t tolerate such attacks.

But it also led me to think about how we can let the little foxes spoil the vine. So naturally I got my bible and began my search of the scriptures.

In chapter 2 of Solomon’s love story it refers to a vineyard. The vines, however, are threatened by little foxes that come in to eat the grapes before they are ripe (2 vs 15)

Of course I realize it’s a love story and I understand the spiritual application as to how the subtle dangers of “little sins” can undermine a believer’s love for The Lord. If it goes unchecked it gives the adversary just enough room to come in an destroy the vines. Solomon states: it is the little foxes that spoil the vine.

I believe this is to be a warning to us. It is the little things in life that get us down, destroy our relationships, causes stagnation in the believer. I believe we have all at one time or another been in the place that we have prayed and believed we were prepared when out of what seems like nowhere, satan quickly comes in as a roaring Lion, we are equipped with our spiritual amour, we expect it. However, when satan comes in as a Little Fox, a little situation, we find ourselves thinking we weren’t quite as prepared.

It’s as though the little foxes have the upper hand because we truly aren’t expecting to have much consequences.

We don’t expect it to knock marriages out of commission or expect it to end relationships nor expect it to spiritually kill a church, and as I explained to my grandchildren we don’t expect the little (fox) of a sting to bring our weekend to an early end with fears of a serious health issue if left unattended. Our minds set us up into thinking that it’s a trivial matter, no big deal.

As I did a search about the little fox and how the foxes work it explained that the foxes have a tendency to dig underground to settle in holes or burrows or to feast on grapevines. They have an incredible sense of sight, smell, and hearing. They exhibit tremendous cleverness in going after its prey. At times, it will actually play dead in order to attack a bird which is within range. It was very interesting read.

Although painful as it was for my little man to have such an experience in the physical realm, it was a great illustration for me to witness to them, explaining how important it was to take him home so mom could make the decision to go to the ER (which he did have to go) He was sad but as I told him this was a chance we got to catch the little fox and not give him a chance to get our next weekend. After a round of steroids I’m happy to report he did get much better.

So let me ask:

1) What are the little foxes trying to spoil the vines of your Christian walk?

2) Will you catch the foxes or let them destroy your vines?