Articles
Maybe We Should Be More Like Deer
You cannot live in south Arkansas without knowing at least something about deer. The
most elusive deer are the older bucks. You almost never see them, and when you do it is usually
only a glimpse as they’re running away.
It seems deer are always studying their surroundings. They are on guard constantly. They
are using their nose, their eyes, and their ears searching out anything that could harm them. They
flee at the first sign of danger and seek a sanctuary.
How many times have you found yourself in a situation, and if you would have just left
that situation, nothing bad would have happened. Maybe it was a time you were with some
friends and someone pulled out the beer. Maybe it was that time you were alone at work with a
co-worker. We usually have some warning, some idea that this could end up going badly for us,
if we would only listen.
There are many times I would have benefited from being more like a deer. Being alert
and seeking a sanctuary to avoid danger. “Do what is good, run from evil” (Amos 5:14-15). How
often do we stick around in situations we know we should avoid? How often do we let ourselves
linger near that which tempts us?
As a people, I believe we have often become too comfortable with worldly evil things.
The Bible teaches us to flee and hate evil. “Hate what is evil” (Romans 12:9). The deer knows
what to do when it is in danger. Flee and seek sanctuary! Where can we find sanctuary? The
psalmist David wrote “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble”
(Psalm 46:1).
We can find a sanctuary anytime by seeking the Creator’s will and applying it to our
lives. We can learn a lot from a deer – and King David. ~B. Tolbert
