QUIET LIONS AND FAT SHEEP

  One of my favorite books and movies when I was growing up was The Parent Trap (with Hayley Mills).   To me, one of the funnier parts of it was when the twins were tormenting Vickie on a camping trip.   In one scene they had her striking sticks together to scare away mountain lions.   When their dad saw Vickie hitting the sticks together he asked her why and after she explained he laughed and told her that it would not scare away wild animals.   However, recently I have read several places that it is a good idea to make noise when hiking to alert bears of your presence.   Because although many wild animals have very acute senses of both smell and hearing, it is possible that a noisy stream, thick brush, or the wind blowing the opposite direction might disguise your movements or scent.   So it has been recommended that you wear bells, whistle, talk, shout, sing, clap your hands, or blow a whistle when hiking anywhere wild animals might be.   Other sources claim that these methods do not work and there are even several jokes going around to this effect.  

     Whether or not bells would truly work at scaring away wild life, wouldn’t it be wonderful if sin wore bells?   If it just let us know what it is when it shows up in our life?   Unfortunately sin is usually a wolf in sheep’s clothing.   It shows up looking harmless and maybe even enticing and next thing you know, you’re completely taken in.   If sin only showed up wearing bells we could hear the warning and flee.

     The Bible refers to Satan as “a roaring lion” in I Peter 5:8:   “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”   Amos 3:4 asks, “Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?  So does a lion usually walk around roaring?   No.   A lion in search of food is very quiet.   He stealthily moves about looking, smelling, and listening for potential food.   The lion does not roar until he is ready to pounce.   The roar serves to “freeze” his prey like a deer caught in the headlights.   The victim merely stands there while the lion soars through the air and catches him.      People’s New Testament tells us that the devil “goeth about as the lion, seeking for prey. The lion while hunting only roars when it springs. So the devil is stealthy and does not give warning of his approach.”

     Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown say that the “roaring lion” implies that Satan has a violent and insatiable thirst for prey just like a hungry lion.  John Gill puts it even more bluntly, saying Satan is called a roaring lion “both on account of his strength, and also because of his rage, malice, and cruelty, which he breathes out against the saints, who, though he cannot destroy them, will do all he can to terrify and affright them.”

     Satan wants to capture all he can; he is particularly trying to tempt the Christian because he already has the world.   So what can we do if he is sneaking up on us?   How can we avoid that roar as he pounces on us?

Well, just as the Bible warns us of Satan and his sneak attacks, it also tells us of how to avoid him.   The first part of  I Peter 5: 8 warns us to “Be sober, be vigilant”   In other words, we should always keep our eyes open and think clearly.   Matthew Henry says, “(Satan) is a roaring lion, hungry, fierce, strong, and cruel, the fierce and greedy pursuer of souls.”   His business is to walk about seeking whom he may devour; “his whole design is to devour and destroy souls. To this end he is unwearied and restless in his malicious endeavours; for he always, night and day, goes about studying and contriving whom he may ensnare to their eternal ruin. “   He goes on to say that Peter “infers that it is their duty, To be sober, and to govern both the outward and the inward man by the rules of temperance, modesty, and mortification. To be vigilant; not secure or careless, but rather suspicious of constant danger from this spiritual enemy, and, under that apprehension, to be watchful and diligent to prevent his designs and save our souls.”   It is our job to be watchful.   It is our job to guard ourselves from sin (I Thessalonians 5:22).   We are told time and time again to be careful and watchful in all that we do.   We are reminded of how easy it is to stumble.   But along with these reminders we also find assurance.   James 4:7 tells us, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”   I Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. ”   This verse is telling us that God will not make a special case out of any of us.   We will all undergo trials and tribulations; we will all be tempted because sin is in the world.   BUT the verse goes on to say that we can escape this temptation if we really want to.   God will provide a way.   We cannot say the devil made us do it; we cannot say we couldn’t help it because the Bible tells us we CAN avoid succumbing to temptation.   Ephesians 6:10-18 says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”  

     God did not leave us unarmed.   He has provided all the tools necessary for us to resist temptation.   If we always keep our Sword at hand, if we are continually dwelling on God’s Word, then we will not become prey for the devil.   There is a site on the internet called fatsheep.   I found it one day while I was searching for something.   I was curious about the site and why they picked that name so I read until I found the explanation.   They referred to John  21:15-17:    “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my my sheep.  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”   Below this was printed:   “So why fatsheep?   Because sheep that feed a lot get fat.   So come in to the meadow.   The grazing is fine.”   I don’t remember finding much worthwhile at this site but this one thing stuck with me.   Are you a fat sheep?   Fat sheep find temptation easier to avoid because they are continually feasting on God’s Word (Psalm 119:11).   If we keep our mind on God and His Word (Philippians 4:8), we won’t need sin to ring bells and alert us to its presence because we will be looking for it and will spot it first so that we can avoid it.  And the reward for those who obey God’s Word and avoid temptation is found in James 1:12, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.”    So open your Bible and start getting fat today!