A Lesson From The Armadillo

Around the Amarillo, Texas area, there is an abundance of armadillos (see video). In fact, as you drive along the roadway, you’ll see some dead ones that have been run over by vehicles. I’ve often wondered, “Are these guys just dumb or plain unobservant?” If you stand very quiet and still, armadillos will almost come up next to you, because they tend to keep their heads down — their noses being buried in the leaves. The problem with the poor old armadillo, is that he hardly ever looks up!

Do we not do the same exact thing? When we have problems, disappointments, or minor setbacks, do we not start feeling that all is lost? Our heads suddenly drop, our spirits wane, anxiety and despair set in. All the beauty and blessings of our life are suddenly forgotten. The joy of lasting friendships and the promises of God slip from our grasp, and the problems of life we carry around suddenly become millstones that begin to crush and destroy us.

If we take our eyes off our spiritual goals for any reason, life suddenly becomes very bleak. If we loose ourselves in our troubles, life seems hopeless. If we settle for only what is under our nose, we miss the potential and promise that is all around us. Even in times of great discouragement and despair, we need to keep our head up, our eyes fixed on the goal, and our heart in tune with the promises of God (2 Corinthians 4:6-18; Philippians 3:7-15; 2 Corinthians 1:12-24; Hebrews 12:1-2).

The apostle Paul provides us with a marvelous example. In a Roman prison, with every reason to be frustrated and discouraged, he wrote the Philippian letter and highlighted it with the theme of “joy.” In fact, the words, “joy” and “rejoice” appear some sixteen times in the letter. How could Paul maintain a mindset of “joy” in the kind of depressing environment he was in? Simply by keeping his head “up” and rejoicing, instead of “down” in despair — keeping his eyes and heart focused on God and His promises (Hebrews 11:13-16; Hebrews 13:9-14; cf. Philippians 3:20-21).

Beloved, if we ever see a lifeless armadillo on the side of the roadway, let him remind us that this is what happens to those who no longer “look up.” No matter what situation or circumstance in life we might face, let’s keep our head “up” and our eyes focused on the goal of heaven (Colossians 3:1-4). God will be there to see us “through” our problems (Psalm 23:4), so that we might safely reach that heavenly goal (John 14:1-4; 1 Peter 1:3-9; 1 Peter 5:6-7).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets