Asphalt Squirrel

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." 

(Colossians 3:2)

Years ago I was a vending machine repairman for a company called "Special Service Vending", yea I know Sheryl Crow's song, it's true you have a lot of time to think, you're by yourself most of the day. But anyway... It was a early morning trip to Lineville, Al that I was on, headed down the back roads out in the boonies.

I was traveling along when something caught my eye. It jumped out into the road right in front of me. I was moving pretty fast, when I noticed it was a squirrel just standing in the road looking straight at my van. I couldn't really do anything but hit him. I like animals & all, but I'm by no means going to wreck, maybe even kill myself for a squirrel. So I did what any normal non-tree huggin' person would do...I laid him out flat & went on about my business. 

Now, don't get me wrong I did feel kinda bad (I didn't cry or anything) but it was sad when I looked back in my rearview mirror & saw that fella laid out across the yellow line, but what happened next was was odd to me...a poem...yes, I said a poem came to my mind, so I pulled over & started writing. The poem goes like this:

"As a squirrle in the road I stop where I stand, as danger blazes toward me in a large white van. Should I dart to my left or run to my right, or maybe stand my ground & fight, fight, fight! With an acorn in my teeth & not much on my mind, the decision is made & death strikes me blind."

I thought, what a weird peom. I stuck it away for over a year. 

When I ran across it, I re-read it & still thought it was kinda funny. But as I was reading it, God spoke to me. Not in a loud thundering voice, but in my mind he said, Christians are like squirrels... I know, that's exactly what I thought! Christians are like squirrels? God went on...Christians are like squirrles, If they would stay focused on the other side & cross on through life, with out allowing themselves to be distracted, they would be just fine.

See that squirrel had it made, until he was distracted by my van. It wasn't that he wanted to die...I don't think that he was a suicidal squirrel, but, he was just curious about what he saw. When he found out that what he was interested in was not good for him it was too late, splat!!!!!!!!

As Christians we travel through life like squirrels, we allow our minds to be distracted from the other side, sometimes we recover & do well other times we spend that life jumping back & forth all mixed up not knowing where to run. Some are distracted by alcohol, some by drugs or any other sin (Sin - knowing something is wrong, but doing it anyway. Breaking God's law) we let that take our eyes off of God.

 I know distractions, but I've learned to keep my eyes on Christ. Curiosity will sometimes kill ya...it killed the cat & heck a squirrel. The best thing to do is not take the first sip, the first hit, watch the smallest amount of filth or spread the first bit of gossip. You may find it interesting & kinda  fun the first time, but it never ever turns out good...ask the squirrel.

Vern