Little Foxes
C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)
One of the most gifted apologetic of his time, and in my opinion, ours as well; whom, oddly enough, was a staunch atheist for much of his early years. A brilliant author, probably most famous for The Chronicles of Narnia, but his library of literature is vast and varied and always some of my favorites to read. From fiction to nonfiction, he was a master storyteller.
Along with Narnia, Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, and my personal favorite, The Screwtape Letters, are but a few of his most beloved works, and can be found on my bookshelves. In the latter book, Lewis entreats his audience to a back-room view, if you will, of dialogue and strategies regarding demonic entities over the human race. Screwtape is a senior demon corresponding with his young, new apprentice, who also happens to be his nephew named Wormwood, in a series of letters.
He is training said inexperienced protégé, in all the ways to keep the human subject from advancing into “Enemy” territory. The “Enemy” is, from their viewpoint, God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. And what is the best mode of operation to succeed in the mission of total destruction of their assigned person? I’ll let Screwtape tell you in his own words.
“It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light out into Nothing. Murder is no better than cards, if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one- the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”
Subtle, tiny, insignificant little things, merely a trifle. Nothing to pay too much attention to, or waste your brain calories thinking about. You have far greater things to worry with. Or do you?…
In 2007, the band Casting Crowns, released a song called “Slow Fade” off their The Altar And The Door album. The premise of the story explains we don't fall off the spiritual cliff in one day. It’s all the tiny little decisions we make. The things we do, which we shouldn’t and those we don’t do, that we should, which lead us down the wrong path and far away from the Lord, most of the time before we even recognize out plotted course has drifted far from center.
C.S. Lewis was saying the same thing in the above quote from his book. If we can be pulled into a state of distraction and disconnection, we won’t be praying like we should or studying the Word as diligently. Thoughts of spreading the gospel do not flood our minds, if our minds are flooded with a multitude of other things that have no bearing on eternity.
But, not only is this wise warning coming from the lips of an author and a song writer, but also from the scriptures themselves. Let’s read Song of Solomon.
“Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards.” -Song of Solomon 2:15a
It’s the “little foxes” in our lives that will eat away and destroy the connection we have to Jesus. All the things that seem like no big deal.
Instagram doomscrolling
Driven to climb the corporate ladder, so nothing else is in focus
Hours of YouTube
Binge watching the latest Netflix series
Keeping up with the Jones’ on Facebook
Kid’s sports every weekend
The second glance at a website
Uncontrolled anger you allow to build up and spill over
Tiny thoughts of lust filling your mind
Vanity and pride over the shiny objects this world lures us with
Little white lies that seem to slip out so carelessly
All of the distraction. All of the “tiny” little sins we flirt with in our daily lives. We must stay alert and ever on our guard to suffocate those things before they grow into a monster that will not be easy overtaken.
When you put very little thought or effort into your relationship with Christ, you hand the devil an easy button. You are no threat to his kingdom, if you are more worried about playing the latest video game or trying to figure out the newest gadget you need to buy.
If your greatest concern on the daily is how many views your TickTock video has, the darkness doesn’t need to concern themselves with you. You have little value to the Kingdom of God… and that’s the way they like it.
These things are not inherently evil, they are just time suckers, mindless distractions which keep us comfy and cozy in our own personal bubbles. They leave our lives ineffective for the mission we have been called to as Christ followers. To go, into all the earth, preaching the gospel and making disciples.
My prayer for all of us is that we would awaken, rise to the challenge and become aware of the battle raging around us. Read the verse from Song of Solomon again. It was a prayer, a cry for help.
“Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards.”
This is a petition for assistance.
Help me-Oh God! I know there are things in my life that are stealing my time, energy and attention away from you. I know there are little sins that keep circling in my brain and I’m not putting them to death as I ought.
Dear friends- The time has come to stay alert and be diligent in our walk. The tiny distractions and sin we allow to remain in our lives, make no mistake, will grow, fester and eventually destroy you. Remember, it’s a slow fade.
Never overnight.
It’s subtle.
Almost invisible.
So I pray-
Lord God,
Give us wisdom and discernment in these days to put to death in our lives all distractions, great or small. We ask for you to catch the little foxes that roam freely about which are seeking to spoil the vine and connection to You. We repent of our sins, and shift our eyes back to Your face. May we be found faithful in our service to You. Allow us to see those who need to hear of Your good news and the hope which is only found in the gospel. And give us the boldness to tell the masses of Your love and mercy.
In Jesus Name I pray- Amen!