Our son and his family in Colorado have a farm on which they raise chickens (among other stock). He sent me a picture yesterday of evidence that a coyote is coming around their chicken pens at night. Our grandson is very faithful however at locking up the chickens every night and letting them out each morning.
All it would take is one time of forgetting. Or thinking, “the coyote won’t come tonight.” The coyote (Canis Latrans) is just an American plains smaller version of the wolf (Canis Lupus). Knowing the wolf (or coyote) must kill is sufficient to knowing how to protect. Knowing isn’t what protects however. One time of not shutting the gate will show the importance of intentional protection.
Protecting the church can be monotonous. The repetitious watching of the parking lot, the doors, the halls and behind the stage can generate a normalcy bias that lends to the notion, “it hasn’t happened so it won’t.”
Just like our grandson being so loyal about shutting those chickens up at night, one must continue watching the parking lot, the doors, the halls and behind the stage. Our grandson has never seen a coyote kill chickens. He doesn’t have to experience it to understand the danger.
John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” That’s all he knows. Killing and eating is all the wolf knows. Both the wolf and the thief are metaphors throughout the scriptures of Satan and his ilk.
Think About it.
One time is all he needs.