Spirit Jesus

“Catch us the foxes…that ruin the vineyards” (Song of Solomon 2:15) - The Importance of little things is indicated as being essential many times in God’s Word. The act on which hung the most stupendous issue for mankind was seemingly very small - that of a little fruit in the Garden of Eden. How small the act; but how tremendous the consequences!

It was not the outward act, however, but the underlying principle - disobedience to the Almighty - sin - that brought about the fall of man, plunging the whole world into chaos and death.

This same principle lies back of many small transgressions today. In Bible symbols, foxes are used to represent a person’s faults of belief and practice. Both are included in the meaning of the foxes of our text, though it refers, especially to faults of behavior or conduct…

When our simple and compound faults are full grown, they correspond to the foxes of our trext; but when they are still comparatively small, they correspond to the little foxes. Let’s look at a few of these foxes great and small and see how dangerous they really are:

DOUBT - is very destructive - It is the opposite of faith - the opposite of mental appreciation and heart’s reliance upon God and Christ (Hebrews 11:1). Doubt destroys faith, which is the victory that overcomes the world (1John 5:4) without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). It is an insult to God to doubt Him or His Word of Truth. How important then it is to lay hold on that little fox called DOUBT, for it will surely destroy our faith if allowed to go unhindered!

FEAR - (dread) is closely related to DOUBT; for one dreads and regards with apprehension one in whom he has little or no confidence. Mistrust and suspicion breed fear. “God is love” (1John 4:8, 16); and in proportion as we believe in Him and love His glorious character as revealed to us in His precious Word, we learn to love and reverence Him and not to be afraid of Him or dread Him “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear; because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1John 4:18).

DISCOURAGEMENT - may seem to some to be such a nice little fox that it needs little guarding against. Many will valiantly resist and pursue other foxes while fondling this one in their bosom, little realizing how dangerous it is. Many people are filled with self-pity, like to feel that they are much misunderstood and abused, seem to enjoy emphasizing their trials, not considering them “light afflictions” (2Corinthians 4:17) and seem to like to ‘feel blue’ .

However, how can we “be of good cheer (courage)” (John 16:33) and “endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2Tim 2:3), if we become discouraged, and our morale is low? Courage in action spells victory; discouragement tends to bring defeat. Let us watch out for this little fox; it is so small and so innocent looking that it creeps undetected into almost every Christian’s life at one time or another.

Therefore, this fault appears when things go differently than expected, when we are depressed over our own or other’s faults and their manifestations, or when an answer to prayer is delayed. This sly little fox paid a visit to Jonah under the gourd vine (Jonah 4: 4-11) and to Elijah under the juniper tree (1Kings 19: 2-18).

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