Tip of My Iceberg

They believe him to be a teenager; he’s not quite heavy enough to force the trap. He is, however, clever enough to get the food that’s inside it.

He’s a rat. A teenage rat.

Slinky (my name for him) can scrunch his rather large body into such a compact size that he can worm his way into tiny openings. It’s how he got into our daughter’s garage. He seems quite happy existing on the scraps of food in the various traps set for him, which he has learned to snatch and grab and go with incredible skill.

photo courtesy of Nikolett Emmert on Unsplash

The Instant Pot they had stored in the garage retained food scents, even after washing. The rat tackled the top of it, scratching away as if he could break through the steel with his nasty nails.

What’s worse is that they’ve got a few Blink cameras in the garage, hoping to see the little dickens get caught. All they’ve been able to do is watch him dance around the traps, grab the small bits of food they’ve used as bait, and avoid any entrapment all together.

In our culture, rats aren’t exactly venerated. Quite the opposite, actually. They’re seen as the vermin associated with disease and plagues, like the Black Death in 14th-century Europe that was spread by the fleas carried by rats. They also account for serious illnesses today such as rat-bite fever and hantavirus.They’re pests that gnaw through wires, destroying electrical circuits, and damaging crops, property, and food supplies. Rats are so despised they’ve shown up in our nomenclature, such as gangsters calling out enemies as “dirty rats”.

It may be safe to say that rats personify all things evil.

Humanity has an enemy that is pure evil. It’s an enemy that many refuse to acknowledge because they don’t want to admit that such wickedness exists. When we see the vileness of the world around us, it’s easier to point fingers at someone, blame shift, or. make an excuse for bad behavior. But Satan is real. And his purpose is to destroy all those who don’t bow to him. “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

He is our great enemy. Anyone who chooses to follow God, who pursues goodness, will find themselves confronting a powerful adversary. Those who flirt with evil, who play around, pushing the limits of doing bad, thinking they can get away with it, don’t realize the door they’re opening that can’t be closed. “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44

Evil exists. In the animal world, rats epitomize the subversive and cantankerous character of bad blood. My daughter and her family are understanding just how insidious they can be.

The enemy of humanity exists in the spiritual realm, seeking to steal, kill, and destroy all that’s good and of God.

But God. He’s greater, stronger, and more powerful than any enemy we could ever face. He’s faithful to His promises, and when anyone invites Him to be on their side, He is there.

Forever.