A Mouse in the House, or a Fox?

"Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes."

The Song of Solomon 2:15

I ignored the first sign of evidence, but yesterday as I sat peaceably in my recliner with a book in hand and a puppy in my lap, a brown fuzzy blur scurried by.

Did I imagine it?  From the reaction of my puppy, I did not.

As my puppy barked frantically, I went to retrieve my husband from outside.  I yelled, 'WE HAVE A MOUSE!"  He replied, "Are you sure?"

"PRETTY SURE!"

So, my husband set a trap while I began sanitizing the path this rodent ran.

A little while later as I began to prepare dinner, I pointed to our corner kitchen table and asked my husband, "Did you do that?"  Our basket of peanuts, cookies and chips that were recently purchased were now scattered all over my white tablecloth.

My husband looked at me and said, "Of course I didn't do that!"  Then he turned his head back to the mess before us and said, "This is war."  (Never mess with a man's snack basket!)

As I watched my husband get into his truck to drive to the store for more ammunition, (mouse traps) I began cleaning up, yet another mess left from this unwanted varmint.

"This IS war!"  I thought to myself as I conscientiously began making a mental list in my head of all the cleaning and sanitizing, I had to do in the very rooms I had just 'Spring Cleaned.' 

But the more and more I thought about this Dirty Rat, I had to ask myself, "Do I ignore the first sign of sin in my life?  The first sign of a bad habit, or a wrong Spirit?"

Is there a Fox in my heart that Satan has subtilty placed there, and I choose to ignore?

Matthew Henry said, " The first risings of sinful thoughts and desires, the beginnings of trifling pursuits which waste the time; trifling visits, small departures from truths, whatever would admit some conformity to the world; all these, and many more, are little foxes which must be removed.  Whatever we find a hinderance to us in that which is good, we must put away.  Little foxes destroy graces."

We caught our mouse, but this little Critter gave me something to think about...

    If I had not ignored the first sign of trouble, I would not have such a big mess to clean up...

        But that's just me!