Lesson From A Lizard

"life and death"

Deuteronomy 30:19

I saw a lizard today.

I know; big news right?

It was an alligator lizard.  We've seen them two or three times around our house, but they are unusual.  Generally we see your more standard lizards.

This was the first alligator lizard we saw.  I don't know if the camera operator (my hubby or daughter) was getting progressively closer due to increasing courage, or just zooming in from a safe location.

An alligator lizard is longer than the common, everyday, average Southern California lizard.  And although they move at the same lightning speed as regular lizards, they're so long that it seems faster.  Their tales are are longer than their bodies. 

The first time the kids saw one, they were sure it was a snake.  It was in and amongst a lot of dried leaves in a corner of the backyard, and all they saw was that tail disappearing under a pile of leaves.

So our hero (their daddy) went out and managed to capture the thing in a bucket so we could get a good look at it.  Then he threw it over the wall of the backyard in the direction of our neighbor's house. 

I kid.

Well, I saw another one today.  It was out in the street.  I had walked outside to say good-bye to the Apple of my Eye as he was leaving for work, but first he had to put a few letters in our mailbox.  And his walking over that way drew my attention to the street, where I saw a movement I couldn't identify.  I said to him, "What is that?" and the two of us made our way a little closer. 

He was hard to recognize as a lizard because he was moving in a different way than I've ever seen.  Like I say, usually lizards are lightning fast; this one was moving very slowly, and with almost an undulating rhythm, from tail to head. 

As I got closer, I realized that he was an alligator lizard, but also that he had not much in the way of a tail.  I've seen that before ~ if a lizard gets caught by a bird, his tail will drop off, giving him a chance to escape, but also maybe distracting the bird, as the tail can keep moving once it has detached. 

So this lizard had no tail to speak of, and frankly it looked like the tail-ectomy had happened very recently.  First of all, the nub was very blunt, not at all rounded off as they tend to look when they are growing back.  Secondly, the coloring was stark.  Red.  I don't really know if lizards bleed, but that's what it looked like. 

The other reason I had a hunch that it had just happened, was the crow about eight inches away from him.  The lizard was doing his undulating thing, making his way across the street, and the crow was hopping every few seconds, keeping the lizard fairly close, without really getting any closer.  But I guess the lizard just couldn't go any faster.

But everything changed as we came nearer.  The crow flew away from us, about 20 feet, and I said to my sweetie, "Oh, it's an alligator lizard.  Or most of one." 

He assessed the situation for a minute, and then said, "Well, we can just let the circle of life do it's thing, or I can try to catch it and throw it in the bushes."

And I thought for a second, about crows being hungry, and lizards not wanting to die and how if the Apple of my Eye didn't leave in the next two minutes or so, he might be late to work.  Which would not have been a huge deal, really.  He would have done it if I'd wanted him to. 

And I mean, really, this whole thinking about it thing only lasted for a few seconds, and then suddenly, the lizard took off.  There was that lightning speed I was used to.  He dashed under a parked car, only a few feet away from some bushes, and the crow flew away. 

I was inspired.  It was a message I wanted to share with a few hurting people in my life.  People who are hurting, but dragging, you know?  Lost?  Discouraged?  That lizard chose life!  He saw his chance, and he took it!

Nothing makes me sadder than people who feel helpless to take control of their lives.  Sometimes people are victimized by bad decisions of their own, or circumstances over which they have no control.  But joy is there for the taking.  Peace, contentment and faith ~ they all belong to us!  They've been promised to us!  But we take our eyes off of God, and we focus on what's negative in our life, and sorrow and despondency rule our attitude.  We think we have no escape.

Refuse, my friends.  No matter what today looks like and what you fear from tomorrow.  Choose light.  Choose joy.  Choose life!

~ "I have set before you life and death,

blessing and cursing;

therefore choose life,

that you might live,

both you and your descendants;

that you may love the Lord your god,

that you may obey His voice,

and that you may cling to Him,

for He is your life" ~

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

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