I’m an animal guy. I’m all in when it comes to God’s beauty and wonder in the animal kingdom. We have 2 dogs, Bentley our beautiful Golden Retriever, and Fez, some kind of Cocker Spaniel mix, but we are not exactly sure! We even have a cat (I’m ashamed to admit) her name is…..wait for it……”Kitty”. We actively participate in baby talk to our animals and, we solicit doggie kisses. It’s gross. I know, don’t judge me!
My youngest daughter is so animal crazy that she even tattooed Proverbs 12:10 “the righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.” She owns 3 horses, 4 dogs and 12 chickens…….Did I mention she also works at an Animal Hospital?! I say all that to preface my next statement. Recently, a three year old boy managed to get himself into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. A male silver backed gorilla grabbed the boy. At times it looked as if he’d drag the boy violently around to his death. And, at other times as if he were caring for the young child. Zoo officials had to make an immediate and final decision. They killed the animal. The boy was saved.
While nobody wanted to see the animal die, it was the right call. The “twitterverse” and many animal activists were up in arms, and while I’m saddened that the animal had to die, it was the right call. As a father, a child was saved! End of story.
Many of us think of sin like that three year old thinks of Gorillas. It’s cute. It would be fun to play with, yet when that thing gets a hold of you, YOU’RE IN TROUBLE! The Bible gives us clear guidelines on how to deal with sin in our lives- to KILL IT! Decisively and immediately.
Mark 9:43-47 “And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell”
Just like you don’t reason with a 450 pound silver backed gorilla. You don’t reason with sin, you make no provision for the flesh. When Jesus suggests gauging out your eyes or cutting off limbs, he’s not speaking literally (although some early church fathers took it that way and chopped off some body parts I can’t mention and still keep my job as a Pastor!) He is speaking of the seriousness and ruthlessness by which we fight against sin and pursue holiness in our lives. Gorillas make lousy pets and sin is not cute and cuddly. It destroys lives, marriages and families!
I really do feel bad for the gorilla that had to die, but thank God the boy lived.
I have to go now, my dog wants a kiss……..