Wish I listened to the Short "cockroaches" The Lessons that can be learned from Cockroaches
by Carey Scott
Of all of God's creatures, the cockroach is the most resilient. Roaches have been around for all of mankind's generations to be bothered with. Scientist think that roaches will outlast humanity and even survive a nuclear holocaust.
As much as we despise the little creatures, we can learn lessons from them. As ugly as we perceive them to be, they are a beautiful creature of nature. They are part of God's creation and we should respect their place in nature. They provide food for insect eating animals and birds.
It's when we take them out of nature and put them where we are, that we become uncomfortable with them. They belong in trees, not our houses.
Some cultures treat them with respect and esteem them highly in several ways. But for the most part we like to see them die horrible deaths. Roaches live throughout the world in different shapes and sizes and colors and environments (much like people).
But as much as we dislike the vile little creatures, we must give them some credit, and learn some lesson from them. These lessons are especially important if we are to survive in this life and in the life to come. How? Well, let's see.
Roaches are persistent---much like Satan and that energizer bunny, they keep going. When it comes to our duties to others, we must be persistent and keep coming back to work on our subjects. These subjects treat us just like we treat the roaches. Sometimes with hatred or fear or even bug spray.
Roaches like trash---they are comfortable with it. They do not care what it looks like or smells like, to them it is just food. As long as they get their food, they are not picky. Unfortunantly, many church-goers are like these roaches. As long as they are comfortable, they don't care what kind of garbage is placed in from of them. They are not picky if it is truth or error, and they can't tell the difference anyway. We know that if we clean house and keep garbage away that roaches will eventually go somewhere else for their food. We need to do the same in our churches and clean house and preach the truth and lay it on very thick. The roaches will become something else or they will just leave.
Roaches work well together---Why, just two roaches can create a whole army in just a short time. They seem to have a natural ability to procreate. This is how the Church is to grow, by procreation. Those who know the truth plant the seed in good hearts which will produce seeds of truth and so on. Where there is a will, much can be accomplished by just a few.
Roaches look out for one another---or so it seems. It is as if they have sentrys watching out and when danger approaches, they scatter. The scriptures teach us that we are to look out for one-another. Many verses emphasize this fact. We must always be looking out for the welfare of others, both physical and spiritual, and not be so selfish.
Roaches learn from others mistakes---When you try a new method of removal, the process is effective for a short time, until they learn to avoid these traps. Seems like roaches learn lessons from others where humans don't. We are to learn and be aware of traps and pitfalls and avoid them. We need to avoid them like we should avoid sin. We see error and we need to expose it so that others do not fall into the snare of the devil. We must point out the false teacher. This is so we can maintain the purity of the church.
Roaches build an immune system---even the most powerful poisons seem to lose effectiveness after several generations have endured it. We have to stop using the poisons because of danger to others. Some have even been banned. Christians are to build up an immune system to sin, so that we are not enticed by it. On the other hand though, we cannot build up an immune system for the world that allows us to tolerate and put up with what it offers. With God's help, we can become immune to sin to where it will not destroy us.
Roaches just want to survive---they hide for protection, they eat to survive, and they procreate to keep the species alive. Are they not just like we should be?
Before you step on your next roach or spray them to cause them pain, think about some of these ideas. We can and must learn these lessons from roaches.
By Carey Scott