As I am writing this, it is shark week on television. NO, I do not watch shark week, BUT I HAVE STORIES! I recently thought of one I wanted to share before it becomes lost again in the gray matter. On one of those 30 + years of beach vacations, we stayed at a beach where you could actually fish. Most of the beach trips have shore lines which are very shallow until you wade out quite a bit. This particular year we spent the week casting in the waves and I LOVED it!
Early one morning, I rose LONG before the others and headed out to fish. I waded out until the water was mid chest high and stood by a channel marker. In the early morning hours, the ocean is calm- smooth as glass. The waves are more of a gentle rocking this particular morning. I casted WAY out with the shrimp dangling from my line. As I slowly reeled the line back, I began to see a shadow following the bait. As it drew closer I noticed it was a large shadow. In case you are unaware, running in water that deep is virtually impossible. I had lured a shark in with my bait and he was coming closer and closer. I became one with the channel marker, not moving a muscle. As the clearly visible shark came within the length of my rod, it was about 5 feet long and definitely a shark. We later determined it was either a lemon shark or a sand shark, but that is not relative. IT WAS A SHARK! Somehow, I had the presence of mind to lift the bait out of the water. The shark turned and swam away while I stirred up the water with all my shaking. I could have been shark bait and there was not a soul on the beach to rescue me, much less even hear my screams if he attacked. LESSON LEARNED! I do not go out alone now--and carefully watch for what is following the bait.
Where in the world could I take this? I am looking at it from the shark's perspective. Be careful what bait you allow to lure you into the danger zone. Someone or something may be trying to make you its latest victim. Is the small nibble of a tempting appetizer worth becoming the main course? We can be hauled in and our goose cooked by following the temptation of the bait before you can blink an eye. When in deep water, always be careful to not be lured into the dangerous shallows where you enemy is waiting.
"Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.
The spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh is weak."
Matthew 26:41
Oh, what a scary experience, Lulu!!! But your analogy, as always, is spot on. Yes, we definitely don't want to put ourselves in the way of temptation.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!