The North American common porcupine is a member of the rodent family and has around 30,000 quills attached to its body. Each quill can be driven into a would-be enemy. The wounds can fester; the more dangerous ones, affecting vital organs, can be fatal. As a general rule, porcupines have two methods for handling relationships: withdrawal and attack. They either head for a tree or stick out their quills. They are generally solitary animals.
Porcupines don’t always want to be alone. In late autumn, a young porcupine’s thoughts turn to love. But love turns out to be a risky business when you’re a porcupine. Females are open to dinner and a movie only once a year; the window of opportunity closes quickly. And a girl porcupine’s “no” is the most widely respected turndown in all the animal kingdom!
This is the Porcupine’s Dilemma: How do you get close without getting hurt?
This is our dilemma, too. How do we create friendships that will last a lifetime? Every one of us carries our own little arsenal. Our barbs have names like rejection, condemnation, resentment, arrogance, selfishness, envy, contempt… (the list goes on and on). Yet we, too, want to get close.
How do we let our guard down enough to allow for friendship, love, laughter, smiles, joy, and peace to rule the day? How do we be vulnerable enough to share who we are and what we are all about in a world of poking quills?
Break out the fruits of the Spirit! Jump for Joy. Lavish Love. Provide Peace. Preach Patience. Keep Kindness Keen. Give Goodness. Generate Gentleness. Forge Faithfulness. And Secure Constant Self-Control.
Literal alliteration.
Shalom, Paul