May 1, 2017

Cleverness required! by Gary Rose


In the 55+ community where I live (Southfork) all the streets are lined with trees. While that makes for a shady walk, it also provides a home for thousands and thousands of squirrels. Most residents just tolerate them, but a few feed them and one of them (Bill R.) even traps and relocates them.  While they do remove the seemingly unlimited supply of nuts, they also raise havoc with bird feeders. This picture from Bruce Arnold has a pretty good solution. Sometimes you have to be clever when it comes to dealing with a difficult situation. Here is one example, taken from the pages of the Old Testament....


2 Samuel, Chapter 10 (WEB)
 6 When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.  7 When David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men.  8 The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate. The Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.  9 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.  10 The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.  11 He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.  12 Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may Yahweh do what seems good to him.” (emp. added vss. 9-12)  13 So Joab and the people who were with him came near to the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him.  14 When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.


Right about now, you are asking- "What have these things to do with me"? Well, Christians today are faced with obstacles that were not an issue 50 or more years ago: Islam, a government hostile to Christians, rampant atheism being taught in schools and a overall decline in the morality of our society.

Christians need to be smart in confronting these and a myriad of other obstacles that will face them in the coming years. Satan is clever and will use whatever and whoever he can to destroy us. 

Joab and  Abishai were creative in facing their enemies and so should we!!!

ps. by the way- I love squirrels!!!

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