We have a fox who has decided he or she likes our yard. Just ten feet from our patio he has dug a den. Almost every night we get pictures of him moving about. We have a trail camera that is activated by motion. It is very novel and quite fun to have him here but we are concerned about our dog. She is fascinated by the den and every morning sticks her head in the hole. It seems fine for now but we are not sure what will happen if he is a she and we have kits this spring. How defensive a mother can be! Tomorrow our vet is coming to update all our dog’s shots just in case there is a problem.
It never hurts to prepare for mishaps. God gave us brains so we can take care of ourselves. That is why the Psalmist wrote in 119, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Horrific, unexpected temptations can suddenly appear and we need all the help we can get. Storing God’s Word is a great asset to have on hand. See Paul’s list of preparations for warfare in Ephesians 6.
We had a teacher in high school who refused to purchase any kind of insurance because he thought it would be denial of trust in God’s care. While we admired his faith we also were aware that bad things happen to good people and one should do all possible to be ready for mishaps. Sometimes we can allow presumption to replace common sense. Jesus did not jump off the temple just because there is a text about angels caring for us in all our ways. Jesus knew the word “all” meant being reasonable and sane.