Mike’s Musings …       

Grasshoppers and Crickets

   The other day, a grasshopper was riding comfortably on our dashboard with no desire to leave. With the windows down and a bit of urging on our part, he was persuaded to exit the car at about 50 mph. Today, I noticed several of his relatives comfortably climbing the window of our back door and others jumping through the newly mowed grass in the backyard.

   Not to be outdone by their distant cousins, we found crickets serenading us both outside and inside the house. While they made great fishing bait, I’ve neither the ability nor time to fish right now. So, we endeavor to find those agile creatures and exit them from our house.

   Biblically, both the grasshopper and cricket were clean food for Israel (Leviticus 11:22 ASV). You might remember that John the baptizer ate locusts (grasshoppers) and wild honey. (Matthew In our culture, few would find them appetizing (though I have eaten chocolate-covered grasshoppers years ago.) To most, they are pesky creatures that disturb our concentration when driving, or our desire to sleep (unless we’re outside and enjoying the sounds of nature’s peaceful charms.) Solomon tells us that for the elderly, grasshoppers will become a burden (Ecclesiastes 12:5). Maybe I’m getting elderly … when either grasshoppers or crickets are in my car or my bedroom, they are burdensome!

   But they are God’s creatures! We may consider them insignificant, annoying, and of no use to use except for fishing, but Israel of old (including John) would have vehemently disagreed! If nothing else, these “bugs” were food for them! Sometimes, our observation of the smaller spiritual things is no more intense than our observation of grasshoppers or crickets. Instead of seeing that God placed every word in His record for our spiritual food (Matthew 4:4), we often take those smaller things for “bugs” that are more annoying than beneficial. Amos spoke of a time when God’s word would be as famine (Amos 8: 11 – 14). Brethren, that time came for Israel, and it has returned among many souls today!

   I muse on the value of the “grasshoppers and crickets” of God’s word. Each is a vital morsel of goodness for our soul. Some might not seem so appetizing at the time, but if we love the word of God as we should, those little “snacks” become just as vital and beneficial as the milk and meat (Hebrews 5: 12 – 14) God has given us. Let’s not waste a single thing of God’s word – let’s enjoy it all for it is all for our eternal well-being!