The Lion Roars Tonight

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8

I like to learn about animals, and the big cats have always held a fascination for me.  Take lions, for example, the male lion is referred to as "The King of the Jungle" but it is the female who does the hunting, cares for the young, and seems to have the final say in most matters.  The male lion will announce his presence with a tremendous roar but if the lioness is not in a good mood she will get in his face and roar back.  

But lions are usually pack hunters.  They will locate a herd of some tasty beast, and once everyone is in position, they will roar which startles the herd.  The startled herd will start running to escape which will reveal to the lions which are morsels are too young and slow, too old and slow, or too sick and slow.  You see, when the herd runs they are concerned only with their own safety.  There are exceptions, of course.  I saw an episode on Animal Planet where lions decided their meal was to be baby elephant, not counting on the rest of the herd standing their ground.  Let's just say, the lions didn't dine on elephant that night but had to go nurse some rather nasty bruises.

What's my point in all this babbling?  We, as humans, are prone to knee jerk responses.  We will not hesitate to throw someone under the bus to save our own hides (reputation, job, fill-in-the-blank).  We are quick to REact instead of being PROactive in planning.  True we cannot plan for every eventuality, but we can have a plan of action framework.

• Want to save your marriage? Remove the ticks and decide to love each other!
• Want to save your job? Do your best and remember that God is your true boss.
• Want a better work environment? Treat people like you want to be treated by them.
• Want a better society? Hold each person accountable for their actions and treat everyone like you want to be treated by them.
• Want respect? Be respectful AND respectable!
• Want a good reputation? Work hard, keep your word, make only the promises you will keep.

Combine all this with keeping the conversation with God ongoing and we have a PROactive plan.

In doing such things, when our enemy roars his presence, and he will, we will be like the elephants and God will cause the enemy to go home empty handed to deal with his wounds!