The Praying Mantis
Tears filled my eyes as I knelt over the dead praying mantis. I met him three nights earlier as my daughter pulled into the garage after picking me up from the airport.
“Be careful when you get out. A giant thing flew in as we were leaving, and something else just a little smaller followed it in. It may still be here.” We spied the “giant thing” over the door leading into the house.
“I’m scared,” said my grandson, waking up from the drive just then. He pushed back against his seat as I opened my door. “No, Grandma, no. Don’t let him in the car. He might bite us or scratch us with his sharp claws.”
“Don’t worry. He won’t get in the car. He’s too far away,” I quickly shut my door.
I walked to the door and found a praying mantis clinging to the top of the door jam. I also noticed an insect net hanging on a hook. Perfect. I grabbed it and attempted to capture him. He jumped a foot to the left and landed on the wall at waist height holding his leg out like it hurt, giving off vibes of fear that moved my heart. What? I have never felt sorry for an insect.
We repeated the dance several more times. I’d move the net, and he’d jump. Finally he landed on a paint can in such a way that I could get him and take him outside, laying the net on the ground. He clung to it, wary of what was happening, until at last he crawled onto the grass.
I watched my daughter and grandson get out of the car and nearly make it to the door when we all saw a dark flash toward the ceiling. The mantis had flown back in and landed out of reach on the garage door opener. Deciding to wait until morning to try again, we went inside.
The next morning I couldn’t find him. Perhaps he was still on the garage door opener out of sight. Or under the workbench, or even outside. Later in the day I checked again – same story. I worried about him as I believed he was injured and inside the garage he had no food.
Two days later I walked around the back of the car and saw him lying on the garage floor. After confirming he was dead I got the net. I sadly picked him up and took him to the vacant lot next door.
It’s two months later and he’s still on my mind. I grieve for him. Why? What is this all about? Why should I care about one little insect? It’s not a person or an endangered species.
This morning it struck me. I wanted to help the mantis: to get him outside where he could get food and fresh air. But he didn’t know he could trust me and was afraid. He did everything he could to get away from me – to the point of hiding from me in an unsafe place.
I think sometimes we are like that. We don’t know we can trust God and get afraid and try everything to get away from Him, even to the point of hiding from Him. Adam and Eve did. We may be doing something we know is wrong and fear He will punish us. Or we may fear He will ask us to do something hard or unpleasant. Or we just don’t know what He is like.
But just like I wanted what was best for the praying mantis, God wants what’s best for us. Unlike the praying mantis, we can know that’s true – wait for it – because the Bible lets us know.
That’s why it’s so important to know what the Bible says. We get to see the heart of God for us.
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John show us how Jesus modeled that heart by recording his responses to the people around him. We see it in all he did and said. He healed a woman who had bled for twelve years. He grieved with a mother who lost her only son, and brought the son back to life. He forgave a woman caught in the very act of adultery. And these are only a few examples.
We don’t need to run away from Him. He cares a whole lot more for us than I do for the praying mantis (who still haunts my heart). I pray you’ll enjoy reading the Bible to see more examples of his compassionate heart. What are some examples that touch your heart? I really want to know. Leave a comment to share with me.
