LightGrams
August 30, 2018
Volume 22, Number 31
The Bee Man is a man people in Alliance, Ohio call when bees, wasps, or hornets become a problem. His real name is Travis Watson, and he’s an expert at removing stinging insects. The challenge he was recently given prompted him to post a video to Facebook. The hornet’s nest he was asked to remove was larger than any he’d seen.
The nest was in an old Chevrolet El Camino. As Watson explained, once the queen bee starts laying eggs in April the nest grows rapidly. He was able to remove the nest, but in doing so destroyed the hornets that resided there.
Another story in the news took place in Times Square of New York City. A swarm of honeybees had landed on a hot dog vendor’s cart. The city’s official beekeeper was sent to the scene, and soon collected all the bees in a specially-adapted vacuum. The public was assured that the captured bees would be “humanely rehived”.
Why the difference between the fate of the hornets and the honeybees? The Bee Man explained that hornets are “not part of the area’s ecosystem”, and also don’t contribute to pollination as honeybees do. We can’t help but wonder if the sweet honey produced by honeybees might add to the desire to “rehive” them.
In John 15 Jesus charged His disciples to be fruit-bearers: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Fruit, unlike sweet honey, comes with seeds enclosed. Because animals and people like the fruit, they also carry away the seeds that will then propagate new fruit trees, vines, or bushes. It’s a perfect way to reproduce!
Exactly how might a Christian bear “fruit”? Jesus answers that question in Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” “Good works” can be simple helpful deeds: preparing a meal for a family who has suffered a loss, mowing the lawn of someone recovering from surgery, or a note of encouragement to someone going through hard times. People like such nice gestures, and it may open their eyes to the goodness of Jesus Christ.
Will people find our Lord to be desirable? “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8). When a person allows God to transform their life, they will “prove [to themselves] what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).
Given the choice, I’d save the honeybee any day. The only thing a hornet will do for me is sting me (and hornet stings are very painful!). A honeybee also has a sting, but the honey it produces is “Oh, so good!”
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2018, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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