I stepped from the shower; time to start my day.
In my desire to treat my body in a healthy manner, one of my goals is to drink enough water each day. To help reach that objective, I had purchased a sixty-four-ounce plastic jug with a built-in straw. This made it very handy to carry with me and drink throughout the day.
I reached for the container sitting on the bathroom counter, placed my mouth around the straw and sucked. Instantly I wondered how a staple had gotten into the water. I reached to pick it out of my mouth when it moved. I screamed and threw it to the floor.
An earwig.
I have a pest control company that sprays for bugs. I had never seen an earwig in my house. And now one had been in my mouth. I felt like gagging. As I write these words, I can still feel those legs poking into my lips. I will never use that jug again.
But as my day continued, my thoughts turned to other “surprises” that might be lurking. What about the television show I believe to be wholesome, but suddenly takes a nasty turn. Or that friend who was now filling the air with his obscenities. He’d never done that before.
Do I continue to watch the show that has “gone south” or do I turn it off or maybe change the channel? What about that friend? To save the relationship, do I say nothing? Or do I explain that God is a friend of mine, and I would appreciate it if he didn’t use His name that way?
We all have bugs that suddenly appear. Are we ready to deal with them? There are countries that eat creep-crawlies. To fit in, would I just chew and swallow? No way. Sometimes, it’s not easy to stand up for what you believe. I know. I’ve been known to keep silent. But staying quiet gave the impression I agreed with what was happening.
Just as I plucked the bug from my mouth and threw it down, I pray I have the courage to remove dangers as they appear in my life.
“So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6 (NLT)
