Living in the African bush is never boring that's for sure and I find it continues to be used by the Lord to teach me more of how He wants me to live.. although I am convinced that if the decision was left up to me, I'd usually choose a less eventful life! However, I'm glad the decision is not left up to me, as I'd miss out on some of the beautiful perspectives of the world around me as well as some of the more 'beastly'!
By 'beastly' I am presently thinking of Scorpions. Right now I feel like I've seen enough of these things to last a lifetime! Since the beginning of October, I have dealt with 12 of these critters....11 of them in our house and one just outside the back door! They have ranged is size from 6mm (probably a baby one) to about 9cm (that's from head to end of tail outstretched - not including the pincers)!
(you see this time of year is 'scorpion season' as they come out of winter hibernation and the males go a-wandering looking for a mate - thankfully the whole year is not like these past few weeks!)
Here is a photo of one about 7cm long in the bottom of our wet/dry vacuum cleaner after 'vacuuming' him up. (his stinger is that 'barb' on the end of his tail...)
Before moving here I had never seen a scorpion, but right now they are almost part of daily life! At one stage I found 3 in the space of 4 days!
(It doesn't help that the hill we live on is mostly rocks and rocks are scorpions favourite hideouts!)
Now these are not the harmless variety of the many types of scorpions on the planet - these are one of the most deadly! - the fat tailed black ones!
But I am far less 'panicked' when I find one now, than when my husband and I found the first one (which was about 15cm long) and I am very thankful that they are really very timid creatures who prefer to rather hide under something than attack you.
This is one time when I wish the Baboons would come visiting more often....because they eat scorpions...but since the rains, there is more 'food' around for them all over the mountain, not just near human settlement.
THEN in contrast,
The Beauty of this time of year includes one of my favourite Botswana flowers and also the flower that most reminds me of Australia -
Here is my favourite flower - a very pretty and delicate little 'lantern' hanging no more than about 4 cm in length and which only seem to last a day or so...
And the flower that reminds me of the Australian wattle, on a thorn tree...
THEN FINALLY
...just a couple of days ago I came across a creature that is both Beauty and Beast!
As my husband was wheeling me back up the path to the house in my wheelchair after a swim, we came across this little creature all dressed in colours ready for Christmas - or so it seemed! As I exclaimed about his beauty, my more knowledgeable husband helped me to understand that what looked beautiful, if left to live would cause significant destruction to our garden.
He was just one of the most amazing looking creatures I had ever seen....but he was a locust! A creature if left in our garden would have decimated the plants and prevented many other plants from bringing us beauty. He was a 'wolf in sheep's clothing' having the appearance of good, while having a heart of 'destruction'! What appeared beautiful if allowed to live would prove so harmful.
And here are the lessons I have learnt from these African experiences:
1. some 'evil' (ie harmful/destructive/deadly) is obvious - ie Mr Scorpion - he just looks plain bad (well I think so anyhow)!
2. but some 'evil' comes looking very, very attractive on the outside, but if not dealt with based on truth rather than appearances will only prove destructive
3. Evil is destructive whether it comes labelled as such or comes camouflaged, and we need knowledge greater than our own (ie God's wisdom) if we are going to discern below the surface of life.
4. Often beauty and true joy comes in the midst of the thorns of life (not unlike roses)....and just because an experience or section of the course of our lives is 'prickly', or 'thorny' or 'barren' (since till a few weeks back the both the trees that now have the beautiful flowers had no leaves on them either), doesn't mean God isn't planning on bringing beauty out of them that will bring glory to His name, joy to our souls and blessing to many.
In the midst of life, I pray that I might not forget these lessons from the African bush, and be encouraged to press on, resisting evil, seeking God's 'below the surface' perspective (heart rather than outward appearance), and not judging success by barrenness or thorns, because God will bring the beauty in His own good time as He works all things together for good to those called according to His purposes!
(Ecclesiastes 3:11, Romans 8:28)
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