I’m a fox catcher.
Oops, I let that one get away. Well, it was sort of cute and harmless anyway. That little fox doesn’t matter – maybe I can keep it as a pet.
I have a decision to make. Am I going to “catch the foxes” or let them be, thinking they are not causing any harm?
Song of Songs 2:15:
Catch the foxes for us – the little foxes that ruin the vineyards – for our vineyards are in bloom.
This is recorded as an invitation from Solomon to his bride. It was a springtime invitation. It was given during a beautiful season of the year, and the season had been described earlier.
Song of Songs 2:10-13
My love calls to me: Arise, my darling. Come away, my beautiful one. For now the winter is past; the rain had ended and gone away. The blossoms appear in the countryside. The time of singing has come and the turtledove’s cooing is heard in our land. The fig tree ripens its figs; the blossoming vines give off their fragrance. Arise, my darling. Come away my beautiful one.
Spring is a time of newness and hope. It is a time of wonderful sights, sounds and smells. It is a time of planting gardens and enjoying the outdoors after the winter.
The joys of spring are plentiful – yet Solomon reminded his bride of the work of spring. His bride, though she is beautifu,l is not just a showpiece, but a co-worker with him. Her job was to catch the foxes, so that the vineyards would not be ruined and no fruit produced. The purpose of a vineyard is to produce fruit, not just to look nice or be a playground for animals. Just like a harvest is needed from a garden, fruit is needed from a vineyard.
And the foxes could prevent that by damaging the blossoms before the fruit is produced.
Catching foxes is not pleasant work – you have to bury rotting meat and set traps. It involves physical labour.
The garden that is mentioned is a picture of the relationship between Solomon and his bride, and that between Christ and his church. What am I allowing to grow in my vineyard? What little foxes are running around damaging my relationship with Christ and others?
There are things in my life that take up my time, like games on my cell phone that seem harmless. Cell phone games involve solving puzzles, like ‘find an object’ or ‘match three in a row”. They usually also involve a story that is being told as you move from level to level, and often something to build or decorate, like a farm, house or estate. That decorating and or building can seem like a creative act. It can create a virtual world. Yet, if games become a focus instead of the Lord, they can become an idol. Something “fun” and “innocent” could hinder my walk with the Lord. Will I let it?
Or will I justify it, saying it is developing my power of observation and creativity. The creativity in the game involves selecting items that others have made as part of the game – pressing buttons. It is “pseudo-creativity”. That pseudo creativity costs me time that could be spent on real creativity – but there is a reason it is attractive. It’s easy – and something is produced even if it is only a picture of something that is unreal.
The difference between pseudo creativity and real creativity is that real creativity is work. To write about scripture, I have to read scripture, think about, sit down at the computer and edit it. I like doing other creative things, but they are all work. Playing the piano takes practice, cross stitching means sitting with a needle and thread, sewing is work as well and even scrapbooking takes times and energy.
I’m a little embarrassed to admit games may be a problem – but since they are I need to delete the one game I currently have. I don’t need to create a virtual place that can take part of my time and focus – in fact, we are not even to focus on the real things of this world.
Colossians 3:1-3
So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. For you have dies, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God.
We are to seek the righteous, peace and joy that is part of the kingdom and not have our focus on earthly things. So I have deleted the game.
I continue to watch for foxes. I’m finding out that they are often attitudes. They include judgments about what I think others should be doing, feeling that I am entitled to certain things or fulfilling tasks the easiest possible way, such as grabbing fast food instead of cooking. I need to put all such thoughts in cages and present them to Jesus, so we can deal with them together. The Lord, in his graciousness, is willing to help me destroy these little foxes.
As I deal with the little foxes that want to invade the garden the Lord and I share, I become a co-laborer with him. I learn to war with Him and for Him, first against the parts of myself that do not bring Him glory and then on any other field of battle that He leads me to. I become a co-laborer with Him and part of His warrior bride.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me to catch my little foxes in order that I may bring you glory. I want to be part of Your victorious warrior bride. Amen.
cc: K Carswell, 2023
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 1999, 2000, 2003. 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible, Holman CSB and HCSB are federally registered tradenarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
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