The Danger of Tiny Things

I had a very small window of opportunity to kayak with the dolphins yesterday. From 9-11 a.m., the rain and thunder was supposed to abate. So I hurried out, and cruised through the low tide marshes, hoping to spot dolphins. While I was scanning the water, I heard a splash and suddenly, a creature landed in my boat! No, not a dolphin. Predictably, I screamed and almost leaped out of the boat. It was  a shrimp, wiggling and flopping on my lap. With a shudder, I grabbed it and tossed it overboard. (While I would gladly have kept it if it were boiled and dipped in cocktail sauce, I did not like my "prey" preying on me!) To tell you the truth, I was quite terrified. That little crustacean scared me so much that I was ready to brave the razor sharp oyster beds to get away. Fortunately, good sense prevailed and I did not overturn my kayak, or jump out as I was originally inclined. Such a little creature and it could have escalated into grievous havoc. This struck me as a warning -- little attacks  sometimes have as much potential to harm as big ones. In fact, I think more often than not, the way Satan works is to sling subtle little daggers at us, so that we almost don't notice, or don't think they could possibly hurt us. However, they are like that shrimp that almost had the cascading effect of capsizing a boat. Marriages can shipwreck over how long to boil an egg. It is the danger of tiny things that sometimes topple us over time.

Interestingly, the passage I am reading in the Bible is about God's people being preyed upon. Now they were oppressed by tyrants, not shrimp, but still... The important principle covers either situation. That scripture reassured me that God Himself would contend with those who contend with His faithful ones. This is a comfort, because spiritual dangers, large and small abound. Even tiny sins, tiny assaults, like a shrimp, can have dire repercussions. It is always best to have God in the boat with you.

With my heart thundering, I quickly kayaked into deeper water where I hoped the shrimp would be less likely to attack.

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Isaiah 49: 25-26
 For thus says the Lord:
 "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,
and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,
for I will contend with those who contend with you,
and I will save your children.
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.
Then all flesh shall know
that I am the Lord your Savior,
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."