Wisdom from a Flea

This was it! Today was the day I've finally had it! For the past month, I found one excuse after another to avoid conquering this flea infestation in my home. But I could stand it no more!

"Watch out, fleas! Today you've met your match!" I muttered as I packed my little cocker spaniel into a box to take to the dog groomer for a flea dip and clipping. I was determined to rid my house of this pestilence today and forever!

"Don't let Abby out of that box!" I snapped at my daughter, "I don't need fleas in my new car, too!"

Driving to the pet grooming salon, my mind was so preoccupied with all the work that lay ahead of me when I got back to defeat these nasty minuscule pests. I never even noticed the frightened whimpers of my dog coming from the box in the back seat.

When we arrived, I quickly handed the leash over to the woman as if I was ridding myself of some loathsome beast. My target was the supply corner, and I again ignored the now desperate moans of my dejected dog as she was led into the fateful event of "Grooming Day!" Perusing the shelves, I immediately spotted my ammunition - flea bombs! Oh, they only had six cans left and I needed seven, so I grabbed a can of flea powder as my final weapon. I groaned when I saw the price - $10.69 a can! Nevertheless, even that could not stop me. I was on a mission! Now armed and ready, I raced back home to the battlefront, confident that no flea would overtake me!

At home, my mind plotted my battle strategy to win this war before I had to pick up my dog by 3:30. I was like a mad woman! Stripped all the bedding, cleared the clutter off the floor, put the quilts in the washer, and cleared all obstacles so I could vacuum the floor.

"Oh, this house is such a mess!" I moaned as I continued picking up the evidence of my slothful housekeeping. However, I was determined to have the upper hand. After all, what could a mere flea do to me?

By this time, an hour had passed, and time now became my enemy. If I did not set off the flea bombs by 1:30, I would not be able to go back in the house when I picked up the dog. (Flea bombs have a demolition time of two hours.)

The quilts were now finished washing, so I raced to hang them outside, and began the load of sheets. I picked up the last of the clutter off the floors and was satisfied that the battlefield seemed clear enough for the heavy artillery. Dragging out my infamous Dirt Devil, I took off with a vengeance! One thing about cleaning though, once I started vacuuming the floors, I began to notice the dust on the furniture and the cobwebs on the ceiling. Nevertheless, I had no mercy! I wasn't about to stop now, so I proceeded to vacuum the furniture, walls and ceilings with the floor attachment.

The thoughts racing through my mind were as fast as my attack:

"Lord, why couldn't you just speak these fleas away?" I thought. "When Moses brought the plague of fleas upon the Egyptians, they never entered the homes of your people. Why am I being plagued with these wretched creatures?"

Then I began to think back over the past month, recalling how, that even though the fleas were constantly seen jumping on me, I never once seemed to be bitten by them this time.

"That's true, Lord," I reasoned in my heart, "You have been protecting me and my family from it all this time, thank You." For now, I remembered two previous flea infestations we had lived through, when both my husband and I were all bitten up, ankles oozing with blood from scratching fleabites night and day. I thought that it was a bit odd this time, with seemingly many more fleas in the house, yet they were not biting us.

I no sooner had that thought in my mind when it happened ... As I was reaching for the cobwebs in the corner of the ceiling, I felt the piercing bite on my foot, just at that tender spot between the two little toes. Shocked, I looked at my foot and I saw it - a big defiant flea still sitting there!

"You're gonna die now, flea!" I shrieked, turning off the vacuum. Just as I bent over to grab him, he jumped to the hardwood floor. I spotted him again, and made another lunge for him, but he escaped my grip and hopped under the baseboard heater.

"You're not getting away from me!" I sneered, and I got down on my knees to uncover his hiding place. "Ah-hah! I got you now!" I jeered, and just as I was about to squeeze the life out of him, I heard a Still Small Voice:

"What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?" (Numbers 22:28)

Imagine my shock! There I was, on my knees, face-to-face with a flea that spoke!

Then I heard it again:

"Well, at least you're in the right position to hear me now."

Suddenly, I recognized that Voice.

"Jesus, i-i-is t-t-that you?" I trembled.

"Who else could it be?" He seemed to chuckle.

"B-b-but in a-a flea?" I was astonished!

"Why not?" He answered nonchalantly.

"B-b-but, but Lord, it's s-s-so, so...out of Your Character!" (I was getting a bit frightened by now.)

"Remember Balaam's ass?" He laughed, "What do you think of the character of that creature?"

I had to stifle my laugh when I thought of Almighty God speaking through a donkey, but He already knew what I was thinking and added:

"Yes, I could even speak through these tiny despised pests."

By now, my demeanor grew solemn, for I knew nothing was impossible with God. I dared not say another word.

"You accuse me of this pestilence," He stated, already knowing that's exactly what I had done.

"Oh Lord, forgive me. I didn't mean it. I just knew you held the power to annihilate these nast--, er, nice insects."

"That's better...I see you are already beginning to understand." He spoke softly this time, "Are you ready to listen to me now?"

"Yea, Lord," was all I could mutter as I hung my head in shame. Then He began tenderly speaking:

"Remember when you were afflicted? Did I treat you as you've treated your pet?"

Like a horror movie playing before my eyes, I suddenly began to watch myself from the eyes of my cocker spaniel. How tormented she was, day and night, scratching and biting herself to rid the fleas from her back. How she would whimper and run to me, jumping on my lap for help, only to be pushed down and scolded. How I locked her outside almost all day long, and then refused to let her sleep in her usual spot at the foot of my bed. How frightened she was, when in anger, I sprayed toxic flea spray all over her, not even caring that I sprayed her in the face. How I was even considering giving her up to avoid dealing with this problem again...

"Oh, my poor little dog!" I cried, as the tears swelled up in my eyes. I was just about to justify myself, thinking, "But she's only a dog, not a living soul," when He spoke again:

"Not even a sparrow falls without me noticing it."

"Oh, my God, forgive me!" I began weeping uncontrollably, covering my face in shame, as His Words flooded into my memory like a clear cleansing stream:

"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these...ye have done it unto me..." (Matt. 25:40)

"All things were created by him, and for him..." (Col. 1:16)

"Search me, O God, and know my heart.... And see if there be any wicked way in me...." (Psalms 139:24)

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief...." (I Tim. 1:15)

On and on his Word pierced my selfish heart and I understood his conviction.

"Oh, Father, forgive me - a wretched sinner!" I pleaded and fell on my face to the floor. "There's no clean thing in me, not one!"

As I laid there, too stunned to move, in the presence of his holiness, the sweetest Voice spoke again:

"Arise, my child, I have made thee clean."

Hesitantly, I lifted myself to my knees and opened my eyes. The flea was gone! As I staggered to my feet, a wave of Love melted my stubborn heart, and Peace I could almost touch flooded my soul. A surge of Joy, like a mighty rushing wind, and a newfound Strength filled my bones. I reached for my vacuum and continued cleaning my house while singing Amazing Grace with all my heart. This time, however, I paid much more attention to doing the best cleaning job I have ever done, for I knew my Lord was watching! I finished at exactly 1:30 and let off the flea bombs, knowing they were no longer necessary, but as a token of the rising vapors of my sweet smelling repentance to my Lord. As I waited outside for the fumes to touch every nook and cranny of my house, I smiled, thinking how God touches every nook and cranny of my heart. Then I sat down to write this story, as he gave me every word.

Yes, that could be the end...but there is more, for God never ceases to bless infinitely more than I could have imagined...

It was now 3:30, and I was anxious to go pick up my beloved cocker spaniel. Grooming salons do not usually carry a large selection of dog toys, but there was just one on the rack, so I picked it up for my dear Abby. It was a vinyl squeaky toy dog covered with lamb's wool. Then my eyes opened again when I realized it was a cocker spaniel dog, and I just had to laugh aloud:

"Yea, Lord," I whispered, "Only YOU could put Lamb's wool on a cocker spaniel! Oh, how much I love you...."

I didn't even mind paying the bill of $110 dollars; such a small price for the infinite Wisdom I was given today!

As I was driving home with my flea-free precious cocker spaniel on the front seat next me, I remembered the last words that I wrote in my journal this morning:

Somehow, I do not see any glory in taking the dog to the groomer,
But Lord, today Thou sends me even there!
Oh Lord, if there be any possibility, open a door,
so I, Thy Love, may share!

Instantly, the awesome sense of God's presence surrounded me, and the Sun seemed to "wink" through the trees, when I heard that Still Small Voice whisper,

"You just did!"

Holy Bible (KJV)
August 29, 1996