Once upon a time, I worked a pipeline job in North Central Pennsylvania in the heart of maple syrup country. I was there through the fall change of colors, and it was beautiful. The highway that we traveled to and from the Right of Way was so beautiful that it was listed as a must ride road by one of the motorcycle magazines. You really can’t explain the beauty of that part of the county at that time of the year.
Every few miles was a bear crossing sign and in between those were maple syrup shops. The shops had an “Old Timey” feel to them, and I loved stopping by and just taking it all in. One particular store, I don’t recall the name had caught my attention, and I finally stopped by to check it out. Behind the counter was a particularly crusty older gentleman, sadly I don’t remember his name either, that seemed eager to strike up a conversation.
Somehow our discussion turned to the Bear population in that area. The old man explained that many years earlier, overhunting and sickness had decimated their numbers, and for 30 to 40 years they had all but disappeared. Then a decade or so earlier a wildlife conservation group started a bear relocation program. They planned to relocate bears from another location to reestablish their population in that area. I’m sure it seemed like a good idea at the time, after all, who doesn’t love a “come from behind” success story.
Over a decade or so, the bear population exploded, that part of the story was a huge success, but my new friend was not impressed. He complained that these creatures are basically giant, extremely hungry raccoons. They’ll strow your trash, destroying your trash cans in the process, plunder through your stuff and get inside house or car if either is left open. They’ll destroy anything that looks, smells like or could possibly resemble food. They will also harass, chase, and attack people and pets on occasion. And they can Kill people under certain circumstances. And perhaps just as dangerous are the highway accidents they caused either by being hit by a car or causing people to run off a cliff trying to avoid them. Numerous times I saw dead bears along the highway.
Public Service Announcement: I didn’t fact check his version of Bear History in North Central Pennsylvania, but it seems logical. Accounts I’ve read from other areas seem to reinforce that at least it could be true.
After that discussion, I thought a lot about what he’d said
For 40 odd years the bears were gone, for good reason or bad, they were gone
For 40 years no one had their trash scattered by a bear.
For 40 years not a single person in that region was attacked by a bear
For 40 years no one was chased, harassed, or threatened by a bear
For 40 years no one walked out of their house to be staring into the eyes of a bear
For 40 years no one was injured in a bear caused an automobile accident
Then the bears returned.
I’m sure there were a lot of seemingly good reasons for reintroducing bears to the area, like increased tourism, and Bear watching. Besides, what’s cuter than a fuzzy little bear cub stumbling around getting into mischief. Kids all over the world have small plush likenesses of a bear cub, possibly one of the first memories for many.
The first few years were likely not that bad. But soon they found out that bringing them back would change their lives, and not for the better.
Getting rid of the Bears:
When we are Born again, and all things become new, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.
In our new found zeal to please God, we gladly put away old things to be pleasing to Christ, and He gives us deliverance and helps us in laying aside every weight and the sin which did so easily beset us. But as new creatures become Not so New, and if we’re not careful our prayer time will go from “On fire and without ceasing” to “sometimes” to “I forgot” to Not! The enemy will take this opportunity to convince us that the burden of sin wasn’t really that heavy and think about how much you enjoyed it. Or remember how wrong you were done, or on and on we could go. How quickly we forget where we were delivered from. Then comes the “I can handle it,” and “it’s just a small thing” thoughts.
Side Bar:
Another thing that occurred to me about past sins. Some of the things we were delivered from were easier to avoid 30 years ago. Certain magazines or movies that you may have looked at, or watched, or been addicted to. You had to risk being seen going into a seedy shop or ask the store clerk to hand you a copy of that book. A risk that a “Good Christian” would not take. Those things were in a separate, secluded area, or in a different store altogether, which made those items easier to avoid. But now with smartphones always in our hands, computers, internet and 1000 channels of digital anything, we have access to any and everything without the stigma of being seen and feeling the condemnation of our peers.
Things that were once only sold at a specialty store, like liquor, now have their own aisle dedicated to them at the superstores and every other grocery store. You can just slip it down in your buggy with only minimal risk of the prying eyes and condemnation of your church family or neighbors. You never even have to darken the door of a liquor store. The enemy of our souls wants sin to be convenient, he wants it available when you have a weak moment.
Beware of the Bear
I’m not only talking about the apparent sins but what about the weights? The things that may or not be sin, but burden us down and hinder our ability to have a victorious Christian walk, like fear, anger, past wrongs, and hurts. God wanted the weights and the sin gone forever so you could be free. Free to serve and worship him without distraction, free that you can lead lost souls to Jesus, free that you can live a joy-filled life, free to spend eternity in his presence. Free!
Once the door to sin is opened, even to little sins, it’s hard to close!
Little bears can cause a lot of damage. They will plunder and root around in every place, drag your stuff out and rip it to shreds. All the while growing into full-grown bears that are able to destroy your life. Like the little Hidden Sins that will eventually come forth and destroy your walk and then your life.
There’s a song from several years ago (the Cathedrals, I believe) with a verse something like:
“Sin will take you farther than you really want to go
Sin will teach you things you don’t really want to know
Sin will cost you more than you will want to pay
Sin will keep you longer than you ever planned to stay.”
I’m sure that’s not exact words, but you get the message.
We must guard our souls, trust in the Lord, for he wants us Victorious.
He Cleans our hearts, our homes and every aspect of our lives when He makes us new.
We must stay in Love with Him, go to Him every day, and become new every day to keep the bears away!
Psalms 68:19 (KJV) Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
God Bless You Richly,
Greg
The Swimming Axehead 