a girl, a tiger and a piece of glass

It is summer and that means lots of outdoor adventures. On a recent escapade to the zoo with my girls, we looked in on the white Siberian tiger…

She sits in the shade of the rocky cave, facing outward and peering through a piece of glass. She has positioned herself at the edge of her habitat, with only a few inches of glass between her territory and ours. In awe we approach her, conscious of the rarity of the moment. We watch her. She watches us.

My daughter Madison, energized by this intimate encounter with a tiger, raises her hand to the wall, her fingers dance on the glass. She wants to get as close as she possibly can. The tiger is frightened by Madison’s approach and lashes out with a growl and a flash of teeth. And then the tiger lunges. But her paws don’t meet flesh, they meet glass. Madison is immediately stilled, recognizing the power of this animal. At that moment we were acutely aware of that piece of glass, the only thing standing between us and an angry tiger.

There are two levels to this story.

First level – the earthly moral of the story:
Don’t go near tigers, unless you can count on an impenetrable wall to protect you from imminent death. A titanium body suit could serve as plan B.

Second level – the spiritual significance of the story:
We have an enemy; you might think of him as a tiger. We can be like children, ignorant of danger that is just beyond our fingertips. And there is something between us and the enemy, a protective barrier; you might liken it to a glass wall.

In the spiritual realm a metaphor was being played out again. At first glance the tiger appeared tranquil, even approachable. She lazily peered at us through the glass. We began to feel she might be safe. A few seconds changed that perception. She was anything but safe. Isn’t this what the enemy wants us to think? He presents himself as approachable, serene, safe. He tells me that he has the true reality; his way is the path to life. And when I get close enough, he tries to rip my throat out.

But there is this barricade between me and the tiger. The barricade is growing stronger these days. I can still get around it if I really want to. I could tear it down. Sometimes I entertain the thought. The tiger looks safe to me. He looks like he knows something that is just within my grasp, and if I could just lean in a little closer he could whisper the secret in my ear…

And then I remember.

The tiger is dangerous, and he is afraid of me. He is afraid of me because of the power that resides in me, a power transferred from Jesus. That tiger would rip me to shreds, except for that power.

1 Sam. 22:23 Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe.