By Brenda Black
The ability of a raccoon to know that
my sweet corn is two days from perfection is uncanny. When I
discovered the two ears tested and stripped from their six-foot
stalks after the first night of invasion, I was slightly intrigued
and a bit frustrated, but not too troubled. I figured a couple of
pie tins swinging in the breeze and a bright yellow raincoat on a
piece of rebar would keep the burglars at bay. Then came the second
morning after a night of their garden dancing and dining near my
tin-pan band. And it became WAR! A dozen ears demolished and as many
stalks laid low. With ears still clinging, I had all the evidence I
needed to call in the cavalry.
My garden this year is one of the most
beautiful and fruitful I've ever produced. Every weed, every crumb of
earth, every sprig of green pulled, turned or planted by hand – my
hands. Blistered and calloused fingers and feet marked with a flip
flop tan are proof of the hours spent tending my little patch of
wonder.
My husband who has praised my efforts
admirably was nearly as troubled as I over the corn field
destruction. If I had a trumpet, I would have blown it as that man
set out on his noble mission to guard my castle garden and his lady
with valiant determination. Three strands of hot wire and an electric
charger went up in a couple of hours – not just around the corn,
but the whole green kingdom! The following morning I awoke to find
all stalks, tassels and ears intact. The garden queen was quite
happy.
As I surveyed the grounds, I pondered
our two approaches to battle. While I searched for shortcuts for a
solution, Alan attacked it with the best wall of protection. His
method proved that some things are just worth fighting for. That man
does love his corn, and maybe me just a little.
In God's kingdom, we often suffer loss
to the one who comes to kill, steal and destroy. We can try silly
tricks to outwit the enemy and find ourselves just amusing him and
feeding his fury. Satan and sin are real threats that demand
determined combat. Instead of taking shortcuts, we must build the
fence tall and make it dangerously hot to touch. It's called a hedge
in old world vernacular, but it's purpose is timeless: Protect the
harvest!
Letters from the apostle John were
filled with good advice for building a wall of protection to keep the
good fruit in and the thieves out. Through his writings he intended
to share the joy of fellowship; to help believers avoid sin; to warn
them about deceivers and to assure them of eternal life. He wanted
believers to grow in obedience and love and to know that God would
protect them from the devil's evil intentions. In the closing words
of his first letter, he clearly delineates the boundaries between
residents of the kingdom and the great deceiver.
“We know that anyone born of God
does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe,
and the evil one does not touch him.” (1 John 5:18)
Though I'm married to a noble man who strives to protect me and the things that matter to me, it is my King and Savior who guards eternally. I am so very thankful for two great defenders and an electric fence.
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