Discipleship and Foxes

(4th Post on Zoo Thread)

One of the books that I enjoyed as a child was Aesop’s Fables. I am sure you have heard of the “Tortoise and the Hare” and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, these are but two among the many popular Aesop’s Fables.

Another favorite story was the “Fox and the Grapes”. It was a story about a fox that was trying to reach for some grapes hanging high above on a vine. Unable to reach it he declared: “the grapes are sour anyway.”

It is from this story that the proverbial term “sour grapes” comes from. In essence the lesson behind the story is it is easy to despise what you cannot get. A more Biblical term for these emotions is bitterness and resentment.

There are several “discipleship is relationship” lessons we can glean from this story:

1. Don’t be bitter when people don’t get the Gospel right away, when they do not agree with you or when they persecute you.

2. Some people get bitter and resentful when things don’t happen their way. They may get bitter with God and even with you. Do not allow their bitterness and resentment to defile you. Try your best to keep the relationship, in time by the conviction of the Holy Spirit people can still change.

3. Bitterness and resentment can easily destroy relationships and cast doubts about others. Avoid listening to negative words people say about others, it clouds your view of the other person and defiles you.

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15

See also: Prayer and Swimming