I began to work as a minister at Landmark Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Arkansas. I was the “youth guy”. I was all about taking trips. Little Rock was just 6 miles away and so we went to Burns Park and we went to Travelers games and to Razorback games and every once in a while I’d take them to the zoo.

On one particular trip we had a large group of elementary kids and I had several moms and dads along to help me keep up with everyone. Wouldn’t want to lose a kid at the zoo. The focus of most of the kids was the monkey cages. Several of the parents had brought bags of peanuts and the boys and girls were snacking on them as they casually strolled by the orangutan and the chimpanzee.

Then we came to some sort of spider monkey. He was brown and was only about two feet tall and looked like he weighed about 15 pounds. He was about the size of a beagal hound. He came to the bars of the cage and extended his hand as if to ask for some peanuts. One of the boys closest to him reached out toward him with a peanut in his hand. The monkey gently took it and cracked it and ate it. The kids were thrilled. A crowd quickly gathered as the boy kept reaching out and the monkey kept taking each offering slowly and methodically.

After a few more peanuts, the boy extended the bag and the monkey began to choose his own. The children squealled with delight. They were amazed and fascinated. They watched as the monkey continued to gorge on his new-found treasure. Then, suddenly, the monkey grabbed the boys arm by the wrist, pulled him into the cage up to his shoulder, ripped the bag from his hand, and ran off into the far corner to devour the spoils of his conquest.

It all happened so fast that even the boys mother, who was next to him, was unable to help him at all. The boy stood in front of the cage, stunned. He was motionless for a moment and then he began to sob. And so did all the other children. Needless to say, the trip was over. The shine was off the apple, the cat was out of the bag, the…oh, you know, we were finished having any fun for the rest of that day.

Tough lesson to learn. You can’t play around with animals that aren’t domesticated. You never know what they’ll do next. For example, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah” is more fierce than any animal we have ever encountered. He is unpredictable and He has his own agenda. His mission is the salvation of this planet and nothing and noone will be able to stand in His way. He topples nations and moves mountains. He calms storms and calls out the stars. He cradles children in his lap and beats thieves away from the houses of worship. He will go to any length to spread the gospel; He will shed His blood and He will ask you to do the same.

So, the next time you walk into a house of worship and extend your hand be sure you know what you are doing and with whom you are doing it. You never know what might happen.