Song of Solomon 2:15 has a curious little phrase that has always mystified and captivated me.
“Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While our vineyards are in blossom.”
This is Solomon’s bride responding to him. (chapter 1) That chapter is a dialog between the two of them possibly near, or on their “honeymoon.” (If they had such things then.) For those who are not deeply emotional, this is almost embarrassing. But I digress. Interestingly, her identity is never established. She is another “unnamed hero” of the Old Testament. And of the New.
Solomon’s bride asks that the “little foxes” be caught. They are spoiling the vines. Little foxes are cute little guys, but they like to run in between the rows of a vineyard and even make their burrows under the vines, damaging the root system. Grapes, in larger amounts, can be toxic to foxes, but they may eat a few. It is more likely that the threat to the roots of the plants is what concerned the Bride.
“Little foxes” are just cute little problems that are often overlooked or tolerated. (And, sometimes we cuddle them.) “They are so cute!” But these foibles often accumulate or coalesce into gigantic challenges. That is off the topic, in a way, but in another, it is leading us to it. As little problems often mature into major conflicts and even disasters, so little successes lead to greater accomplishments and victories.
Rabbit trail: I was talking to a hall of fame college basketball coach and he was sharing with me some of his basic teachings. Hang on to your proverbial hats. I was blown over by his comments. He instructed his team on how to live outside of basketball. He said that if your life is in order, then your “game” will be in order. (A couple of meanings, there.)
Here is the “hat holder.” He said that the first thing he asked his players in the morning, was, did you make your bed and did you have a good bowel movement. (He may have been a little more graphic, but this is a family publication.) He went on to explain that these two things, and a good breakfast form the foundation of a strong approach to whatever the day may bring. And, by the way, a winning basketball team. “Little foxes.” That wasn’t so far off the track was it?
And “little foxes” can bring good or ill. In a vineyard, they are bad. But if they are out in a field, they can catch rodents and help preserve a crop. Now to our main point.
A common question is “Should we pray for little selfish desires and needs?” And, the answer is, “Of course.” God cares about the number of hairs on your head. He cares for sparrows. (Just for reflection, He also directs roughly six hundred sextillion, or so, stars in their courses. (Six with twenty-three zeros behind it, for the math-challenged. It is a BIG number.)
My wife works in an urgent care clinic. We have had several conversations about whether she should continue to work in light of the China coronavirus. To quit out of fear was not my advice. But friends, and our kids, counseled us, and particularly her to limit exposure opportunities.
I had quoted 2 Timothy 1:7:
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity...
We can trust the Lord to care for us, and the clinic was short-staffed anyway. She was serving the Lord, her employer, and more importantly, the sick people who came for help.
After a “conference video” with the kids, they quoted that verse back to us, read, me. They quoted the entire verse.
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
Don’t you just love it when the kids quote Scripture back to you? Thank You, Lord! “Don’t be afraid,” is stated over 360 times in the Bible. It kind of seems that the Lord is not interested in the emotion of fear being our driving force. Paul called it a spirit of timidity. (KJV translated it “fear.”)
But the kids pressed on. “...but of power and love and discipline.” Again KJV says “a sound mind.” And, the kids expanded, a sound mind, using our common sense, is part of the not being afraid. It is great when they “preach” to me.
Certain classes of the population are cautioned to avoid exposure. “The elderly...” That ain’t me, sputter, sputter. I, uh, well.., maybe. “...those with compromised immune systems or underlying health complications....” I am healthy as a horse. (And sometimes she might think that I smell like one after extreme exertion, like mowing the lawn. But I digress.)
“So, maybe a little older, but of robust, to me anyway, health,” was my analysis. So we prayed for wisdom. On Sunday night we prayed specifically for the Lord to direct us as to how to proceed with the competing priorities, precautions, and motivations in mind.
On Monday morning she called her supervisor to discuss the conundrum. And the supervisor informed my wife that all of the clinics in the chain were being inundated with calls from the public for guidance. In response, the company was going to set up a “call center” of sorts, a health hotline. It would answer the calls and screen them for the correct course of action. This would preserve limited personnel and material resources in the clinics; prevent, to some degree, cross-contamination between those with pressing needs in the clinics, and those who were merely seeking assurance or guidance; and direct everyone in the proper course of action.
If someone has been exposed to the virus, all that they can do is stay home and nurse it through. Unless patients become more seriously ill requiring hospitalization, the best diagnosis is to rest and recuperate. There is no treatment, no magic bullet, and no prevention. All anyone can do, including highly specialized medical facilities, is make the patient comfortable and wait for the immune system to kick into action and literally kick out the virus. (What a miraculous body we have. Can it possibly have developed accidentally? Negative.)
The supervisor told Bev that she would operate a call center in either a closed clinic or a separate room in an operating one. Several clinics will have to close due to staffing deficiencies. So, her continued presence would free some employee who was “less endangered or susceptible” to provide care instead of answering the phone. Side note: On one of her last shifts, over 100 calls were fielded to answer the question, “What should I do?”
Bev will start on her next shift to be trained and man (or is it woman) the phones. Let’s say, “Answer the phones,” and dispense advice.
Little answers to prayer. A “selfish” prayer, if you will. But, remember “counted hairs,” and “accounted for” sparrows. God is not limited to the capabilities of some supercomputer. He can keep up with all of our needs, and those of the entire world. A friend of mine told me that the U of Tennessee has, or is building, the largest, most powerful computer in the world. (Oak Ridge) It is larger than two basketball courts. (Compare that to the computer on your lap.)
El Capitan will clock in at 2 exaflops, quintillion calculations per second, that one was pretty fast. (Math: two with eighteen zeros, we are catching up to God, not) But that bad boy is no match for the 2.5 to 3-pound marvel that sits on your shoulders, between your ears. The human brain can outperform any mechanical device in existence. After all, a brain built it. And, that mobile computer is coupled with an immune system that can overcome all types of infectious invaders. And that is only two of maybe a thousand activities that it can conduct–simultaneously! We are blessed with a perfect repository for our soul. (Not random or accidental.) Thank You, Jesus!
So the Lord answered a selfish prayer, but still left us the option of operating out of an absence of fear, and in power and love and discipline. Praise and thank You, Lord. Amen.
Little foxes add up.
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