Lessons from a Garden 11

Lesson11: Beware of Rabbits

Both our vegetable garden and our flower garden were doing well. In early spring the crocus shoots peeked through the ground. Shortly afterwards they began to disappear before developing blooms. I took a close look and discovered the shoots had been bitten off. Then early one morning I caught sight of the thief. A rabbit from the park across the road. Two months later when we planted our vegetable garden I had forgotten about the rabbit, and when the vegetable shoots began coming through the ground my carrot, lettuce and beet shoots began disappearing. Then I caught sight of him (or her) again. The little varmint was persistent...I had a battle on my hands.

In our Christian life there are little things that eat away at our faith. If we are not careful these things will destroy or seriously damage our Christian witness. In a previous generation Sunday school children would sing a somewhat silly song with a thoughtful message: Root them out, get them gone; all the little bunnies in the field of corn. Envy, jealousy, malice, pride; they must never in my heart abide.

As your faith begins to grow, be aware of the little things that may rob you of your joy and peace. And do all you can to protect yourself from these spiritual predators.

Song of Solomon 2:15

Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards,
    our vineyards that are in bloom.