Don't Be a Dried Up Worm

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

My Grandfather was a fisherman, he was of the Greatest Generation, a Man's Man.  He had a soft spot though... me.  Some of my earliest memories involve a bulky life jacket that had served my Dad's generation and at some point had been left to soak up fish water.  It came above my ears and strapped through my legs, it stunk and it was uncomfortable, only fishing with my Grandpa and my Dad would have made me endure it.

Dad did not raise "sissy girls" and so worms don't freak me out.  I remember baiting a hook; fascinated with the yellow goo that would come out of the "juicy ones" (I can hear the Man's Man laughing in my memory).  As a gardener, I love them because they aerate the red clay we call soil around here.  So I have developed an unusual practice; whenever I see a worm that has made it's way onto the sidewalk or the driveway, I scoop it up and put it back in the grass.

Dried Up Worm

I find dried up worm carcasses sort of sad.  Today, I caught sight of a struggling one.  It was barely moving and had begun to take on that dried up look.  I stopped and went to pick it up and did not quite get a hold of it.  To my surprise, it started thrashing around madly!  So instead of hurting it by trying to pick it up I sort of scooted it back into the grass.  It took a couple of tries but he made it.

I thought as I walked away that the worm had no idea that it was going to die if it kept on the path it had set for itself.  It certainly had no idea that I was trying to help it and instead of embracing the help it viewed my intervention as an attack and fought wildly to continue on it's path to destruction.  I had a better view of what was in for the worm, I was taking care of it whether it knew it or not.

How much more important are you to God than a worm?  Instead of struggling when He picks you up and rescues you from a road that leads to death; why not relax in the palm of his hand?  Why not be still and let him bring you up?  If we thrash around when God picks us up, we miss the view from above.  You will be back in the cool of the grass soon enough, stop thrashing, and realize He's got you.  (Originally published August 5, 2013)

Newer Post Older Post