CYBERCOLUMN:
Dangerous playthings
___By Donna Van Cleve
___Vanessa just about had a heart attack when she looked out the back window at our yellow tabby on the patio.
___ "Momma! Lincoln's playing with a big tarantula!" She hollered as she ran out the door to rescue him.
___ Vanessa was 9 or 10 years old at the time. The cat was nonchalantly batting the tarantula around like a toy, and the spider was rearing up at him, trying to be as ferocious as possible.
___ The tarantula wasn't scaring the cat at all, but Vanessa could not stand it. She ran to Lincoln and jerked him off the ground, holding him up high next to her face as she looked around for the big spider. I can just see Vanessa looking this way and that, and Lincoln looking down wondering what she was looking for.
___ For some reason, Vanessa could not find the tarantula anywhere. She finally turned to look at Lincoln's face. And to her horror, there in his mouth--just inches away from her own face--was the tarantula. With no hesitation or thought of rescue anymore, Vanessa shot-put the cat and tarantula across the back yard. I still laugh every time I picture that in my mind.
___ That cat was determined not to let Vanessa get his plaything, not realizing the possible danger in which he might be putting himself.
___ Too many times in life, though, people get hold of dangerous playthings or allow themselves to get into situations that are harmful. It can be very easy for us to lose sight of the value of these people when all we can see are the very things or situations that are hurting them. They may not even recognize the danger to themselves, and they may resent any attempts of rescue. Sometimes, we can get hurt in the process, too, and it becomes easier to discard those people from our lives. Other times, we completely avoid reaching out to people because we cannot see past the snares that have entrapped them.
___ Some of the names society has given these snares are alcoholism, drug abuse, co-dependency, bitterness, adultery, crime and incarceration, abortion, homosexuality, guilt, depression and others. Many of these problems began by making wrong choices, but all are symptoms of a fatal heart condition with which each of us are born--a heart condition that can only be cured by the Great Physician.
___ God sees beyond that ugly, black fuzzy thing called sin we all have been hanging onto. God loves us anyway. He is not about to throw us away. That choice is ours.
___ Donna Van Cleve is director of the public library in Cotulla and is a member of First Baptist Church in Cotulla, where she is church pianist.
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