THE DANGER OF LITTLE FOXES
Catch the foxes — the little foxes that spoil the vines. For our vines have tender grapes.” Song of Songs 2:15
The devil is a master of manipulation, he can easily deceive believers with the mindset of little things in order to gain access into their life .
The mistake a man must not make in His life is to ignore the impact of little things .
Both good and bad little things have an impact in our life , and they must not be ignored .
A little poison kills
A little stab can kill
A little fire can destroy.
I imagine that Solomon had been in the vineyards when he wrote this, and had seen mischief done by the little foxes.
The vines were planted carefully and the area was protected, but still, something bad happened.
The vines were damaged and the fruit was ruined.
It wasn’t a big animal that did it, but a small and sneaky fox that found a way in.
This caused a lot of damage, their beauty gone, and many bunch became utterly worthless.
We can compare the “tender grapes” to the start of a new life.
》It’s like when someone first wants to make positive changes, or when they start to feel sorry for their mistakes and want to turn to God.
It’s like the prodigal son who starts to miss home and wants to go back To His father
It’s like when someone decides to go to church for the first time.
These are all just the beginning stages, like fruit that is not yet fully grown.
But even though it’s not perfect, there is a true effort to reach something better.
When a farmer sees that what he planted has started growing out of the earth, Joy fills their heart .
Likewise the same way
No tongue can tell how the Father delights in the holiness, happiness, and usefulness of His children.
He rejoices over them with joy.
He accepts their least services, and never despises the day of small things.
He marks . . .
their sighs and tears,
their works and labours of love,
their patience of hope,
their wish to please Him more and more.
These are tender grapes, the beginning of a new life .
Beginning of a good choice , good decision.
Beginning of a disciplined life .
Beginning of a consecrated life .
That must be guarded , protected and secure.
But unfortunately “LITTLE FOXES IS PERMITTED” And everything disappeared like a vapour.
Solomon is very emphatic here. It is “the little foxes” which do the mischief.
Many people use the excuse “Is it not a little one, Just a little thing ?” when they start doing something that will harm their peace, presence of God and their relationship with God.
Even though it may seem small, you should be careful.
Small things can add up and have a big impact on your life.
He who despises little things, shall fall little by little.
” So, pay attention to the small things in life and take them seriously.
E.g
》A tiny fire starts on some things that can easily catch fire. It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it quickly grows into a big fire. The fire burns down some important buildings.
》A small part of an engine is not put together properly. At first, nothing bad happens, but later on, it causes other parts to break. Then, the engine explodes and causes a lot of damage and death.
》A big ship is ready to be launched. It’s expensive and can carry valuable things. But it won’t move.
People try to move it every day, but it doesn’t work. Finally, they find out that a small rock under the ship is causing the problem.
Catch the foxes, yes, the little ones — let not one of them escape!
If you would be secure, you must be determined to spare none — not even the very smallest.
Remember that the small foxes are very dangerous because they sneak into the vineyard without being noticed.
They can easily deceive us because they are small and don’t make much noise.
Little sins and faults have a peculiar power to beguile the conscience.
They often pass unchallenged. They make little noise or show, and therefore they deceive the heart, and do their deadly work while we are unaware.
Every sin gets stronger and more powerful when we keep doing it.
Small sins can lead to bigger sins.
If we let bad thoughts stay in our hearts, we might end up breaking God’s laws in a terrible way.
We need to be careful and not ignore even the smallest mistake.
If we start sinning wilfully or secretly , it will be harder and harder to stop.
It’s like walking in the mud with clean shoes – at first, we avoid it, but once our shoes are dirty, we don’t care anymore.
The same thing happens with sin – if we start doing it, we might become careless and do even worse things.
So, we need to be careful and stop those little sins before it gets worse.
Remember, sin grows quickly, so we need to stop it before it’s too late.
Little sins can be dangerous because they can lead to bigger sins.
It’s like a small thief who opens the door for other thieves to come in.
The same thing can happen with little sins – they can lead the way for bigger sins to come in.
It’s easier to do bad things once you’ve already started.
Sins are like friends – they don’t come alone.
If you have good things in your heart like love and faith, you’ll also have good habits like prayer and patience.
But if you start doing bad things, it can lead to more bad things.
For example, if a young man stops going to church and starts hanging out with bad people, he might start talking badly and drinking.
E.g David
David was a man after God’s own heart, but even he was not immune to temptation.
In 2 Samuel 11, we read that David saw Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, and he lusted after her.
((It all started From : A Look )
He then committed adultery with her and tried to cover up his sin by having Uriah killed in battle.
But what is even more disturbing is that David, a man who was known for his faith and righteousness, had fallen so far from grace.
This should serve as a warning to all of us that even the most devout believers can be led astray by their own desires.
However, we must also remember that David did not remain in his sin.
When he was confronted by the prophet Nathan, he confessed his sin and repented before the Lord. In Psalm 51, David cries out to God, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (verse 10).
God forgave David, but the consequences of his sin still remained.
His family was torn apart, and his kingdom was never the same.
We must remember that sin always has consequences, even if we are forgiven.
Don’t say I will do it and ask for forgiveness, you might be forgiven and your life might not remain the same again.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LITTLE FOXES .
1 . IDLENESS
2. SELFISHNESS
3. LITTLE LIE : YOU MUST USE LIE TO COVER LIE
4. Indecision : Lack of thorough decision is the root of great evil.
There has been no fixed choice. There has been no hearty dedication to the Savior’s service.
Christ only wants people in His kingdom who give their whole heart to Him.
He doesn’t want people who only pretend to be Christians or who follow Him sometimes.
He said it clearly: you can’t serve two masters. You’re either with Him or against Him.
Don’t just say you’re a Christian but then act like a non-Christian.
Be faithful to God all the time, not just on Sundays.
If you want to be with Christ in heaven, you have to be willing to suffer and carry your own cross.
5. A little Lust
6. The Love of Money
7.The Love of Dress
8.Murmuring and Discontent
9. ENVY
10. Distraction in Prayer
11. Daily Worries
HOW TO DEAL WITH LITTLE FOXES
1. Identify the little foxes: We need to be aware of the things that are hindering our spiritual growth. It could be a bad habit, a negative attitude, or a sinful behaviour.
2. Confess and repent: Once we identify the little foxes, we need to confess them to God and ask for forgiveness. We need to turn away from those things and turn towards God.
3. Guard your heart: Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” We need to guard our hearts against the little foxes that can sneak in and cause damage.
4. Renew your mind: Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” We need to renew our minds with the Word of God and focus on the things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.
5. Surround yourself with positive influences: We need to surround ourselves with people who will encourage us in our faith and hold us accountable.
6. Practice self-control: Galatians 5:22-