Catch the Little Foxes

Song of Solomon 2:15 Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.

An article I read says the little foxes represent the seemingly small but significant issues that can damage that love’s beauty and fruitfulness. And there were no better words to express what I felt when I read that portion from Solomon’s song.

From my deduction, this portion is by the woman’s brothers, who is also known as the bride; and the bride represents the church . . . or you and me. The warning was to us, to catch the foxes.

The foxes can be compromise or laziness. Laziness to pray, or read the groom’s word. It could be procrastination of the same. It’d begin as a one time off; then it ends up becoming a habit. The danger with us under grace, is to abuse it, and think because God is so forgiving He’ll keep overlooking our transgressions.

Well, look at it this way; imagine a baby always pooping in their diapers. The parent always changes them. But if the baby grows, and is taught how to use a potty or a toilet; it will be shaming to the grown-up — and not to the parent, in case they poop on themselves in public at a time tee when they are thirteen or nineteen! We have to get to maturity at some point. The grace is sufficient, but let’s not abuse it.

The lying, the watching of things we feel our inner spirit compel us to stop watching and yet we continue, allowing profanity out our mouths, wearing what is against our conscience, envying, unforgiveness of that particular person and yet forgiving what seems easy to forgive — are all kinds of foxes.

We must catch them before they spoil our vines! Remember Jesus said He is the vine and we are the branches. The brothers continue to say ‘for our vines have tender grapes.’ The danger seems to be that if the vines are destroyed, the fruit could be lost, and Jesus said the world will know we are His disciples basing on our fruit!

Tender not only means chewable. It also means ‘easily injured by severe weather and therefore needing protection.’ If I am to use fruit of the Holy Spirit, for example, peace; if we watch a lot of sad news and not guard our hearts from the evil going around, we’ll find ourselves at unrest, and anxious. The fruit of peace will be suffered to wax or bloom; and yet its meant to grow effortlessly.

See how these fruit are in need of protection from the foxes!

As for the fruit of love, social media is awash with fallen wisdom such as ‘you before others’ or ‘if you have been good too long without them reciprocating it, shut them out!’

But I Corinthians says love is patient … love thinks of others before self. Soon you wonder why you can’t love your neighbor as yourself;

It is because you let the fruit be attacked.

So catch the foxes! It’s a job you must be awake at and not passive! A lot is at stake if you let the foxes roam! Like the article said; those seemingly small issues can damage your relationship with your God — your groom!

And I pray God discloses all those foxes, scathing them out of the garden you share with Him! May He bring all of them to light! And may you trust His word so much that it is a weapon you can use against wolves in sheep’s wool and devils masqueraded as angels of light! For like we saw with Eve, the fox there was a serpent! And see where it landed all . . . of . . . us!