A Most Amazing Creature

The Skunk is a most amazing little creature. Did you know that they are one of the most adaptable animals on the planet? They will eat almost anything, are incredibly intelligent and resourceful, and while nearly blind, have extremely developed senses of smell and hearing. Did you know that rattlesnakes, upon detecting a skunk nearby will go silent? In a head-to-head, the skunk will probably win. They are one of the only animals that will eat a stink beetle, they will roll it in the dirt until it is out of its own stink juice, then eat it. They will go into the stinkiest of places - a bat cave - and eat small ones which fall from the roof. They will stand up to most predators including dogs, cougars, coyotes, and the leading killer of skunks, cars. In fact the Great Horned Owl is actually one of the best predators of the skunk, because it has a limited sense of smell. They will not just up and spray someone, they usually spray only when they are out of options. They only have about 4 tablespoons of the stink at best. They can fire the spray out in a directed stream or a fine atomized mist. Tomato juice is not the fix-all for the spray either it is only a temporary fix. A better solution is: 3% HO (Hydrogen Peroxide) - 1/4c baking soda - 3 tablespoons detergent mixed fresh only. Rinse in your yard. Skunks and cats usually will get along fairly well. They do not all carry rabies, in fact the last reported case of someone getting rabies from a skunk was in 1981, despite them being the #2 animal on the list for carriers (They tend to wander off and die alone - usually from ticks - if they get it). They are very independent, and much like a cat will not ususally do what you say if you were to get one as a pet. I've always thought that it might be interesting to have a pet skunk, but my menagerie will have to wait a while to expand in that direction.
The point of all this is I've been thinking that we are similar to the skunk. Intelligent, resourceful, curious, headstrong, and all the while carrying a big stink. We are as they are -nearly blind - we see only darkly says the Bible. You see, we live and learn and grow, and think and discover, and we see only darkly, we stink, and the thing of it is, we are reveling in our stink, like the skunk. The skunk knows that it has a stink, and it is not afraid of its stink. It will use it. We are doing the same thing. How often do we find ourselves reveling in our sin, flamboyantly showcasing it for all to see? Sometimes we do this without knowing it, but more and more often we find people doing this intentionally. You see, God made us, like the skunk, a most amazing creature. We are fearfully and wonderfully made says the Word. Known before we were made, knitted together the Bible says, have you ever kitted? It's not easy, and it takes a direct involvement by the one doing the knitting. God made us and yet we take this priceless work of art He made, and go roll it in the mud, the raw sweage of the world, and make it stink. But the marvelous thing of it isHe has made a way to get rid of the stink. You see, people get convicted of their sin, and try to fix it. Regardless of what people may say, sin IS only pleasing for a season. Eventually, you want more, because you were MADE for more. We try to fix our stink by going to church more, or praying more, or doing more for other people, etc. We hear of good works, that, "I hope they count in the end." Or of people giving up everything they have to join a compound and group that has "the" answer. The trouble with this is that just like Tomato Juice and skunk spray, it's only a temporary fix. Only God has the ultimate solution to our stink. He's got a better formula, that doesn't just cover up the stink, it actually removes it. His son, Jesus, died for us. His sacrifce and His alone can make us clean. So, why did Jesus come? Well, stay tuned, I will post several reasons for His sacrifce in the days ahead. Tune in next time, same bat-time, same bat-channel. 'Till next time, In Christ Alone,
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