Saturday, March 7, 2009

The Word as revealed by a crab


The Plexiglas tank was the length and width of a bathtub, and about 18 inches deep. A pump kept the chilly salt water circulating which made for a perfect temporary home for the hundreds of Dungeness crabs that resided in it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeness_crab

The tank was in one of the many Asian markets that populate an area of downtown Oakland known as Chinatown. These markets are my favorite place to buy fish because the prices are about half of what our corporate-owned supermarkets charge, and because if the crab is alive, you can be relatively certain that it is fresh. The diminutive Chinese gentleman who spoke just enough English to sell fish was happy to take my order. He set about the fascinating process of completing the transaction by reaching into the tank with his bare hand to pluck out ten of the tasty morsels which were destined for the Hectors' evening meal. Like people, each crab seemed to have a distinct personality, and they had varying ways of responding to the intrusion in their tank. Being a seasoned veteran, the Fishmonger (a Mongol Monger?) took these differences into account as he chose his ten victims, one at a time.

INTERLUDE: The crabs on the right are waiting for their turn in the cooking pot. The crabs on the left have completed their turn in the cooking pot.

Some of the crabs were highly aware of the hand from above as it plunged into their frigid world. They responded in a menacing fashion, rising up on their tasty hind legs as they waved their powerful claws at the threat. They turned to face the hand with lightning speed, keeping both eyes and both claws between their bodies and the five-fingered hazard. Other crabs were indifferent and made no effort to fend off the merchant's advances. They remained still, with their defenses tucked under their chin. They seemed healthy enough; their color and size were the same as their more vigilant companions. Both waved the tiny appendages around their face in the same fashion. But the complacent crabs made no effort to guard themselves from what their more attentive brethren knew to fear. Can you guess which crabs the vendor chose to pull from the water and stuff into the waiting bag? Can you guess which crabs were left unbothered?

I wonder if Satan has something in common with that aging Shopkeeper. Could it be that Satan chooses his victims wisely? Does he look for the sinners that won't put up a fuss? I bet he does. If the sinful things of the world don't bother you much, if they don't seem like much of a threat, you might want to think about how an aging Chinese Merchant goes about the business of choosing his tasty victims. Think about who leaves the tank and who stays.


Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

1 Peter 5:8


be safe,
Hec @ 19

8 comments:

Miss Amy said...

Very good mini sermon Mr. Hector! :-)

Yay! I was the first one to comment! :OD

Amy :OD

JB said...

I liked it. Very good analogy for life; you are well versed in those.

I pray your day is going well. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

LY, JB

Thomas and Lindsey said...

made me less crabby, and a little more violent! good post...

TJH

DeusPrimus said...

Nice job dad. I love points to ponder....

BFH

Simply Tiffany said...

Very thought provoking analogy, Mr. H! When I was only partly through it, I was suddenly struck with an idea of where your analogy was heading, and then it took a different route instead!

While reading how the Mongol Monger (I personally like this one better :)) confidently put his bare hand into the menacing crab tank, my thoughts turned to our awesome God, who reaches down to call those whom He chooses. The feisty crab so well resembles mankind, ever ready to save ourselves, unwilling to allow God to save us from our sin. While the pinching from the crabs must hurt, it in no way compares with the pain our Lord felt on our behalf. He calls whom He chooses, and now matter how much we kick and scream, He is sovereign, His plan is perfect, and He loves His own.

Thankfully, He calls us to a better life than a fabulous dinner dish. :)

Amazing picture of that crab, too, BTW!

*sigh* Oh, the idea of fresh crab is almost too much... ;)

Hec @ 19 said...

Tiffany,
I like your interpretation! I always marvel at how two people can see the same thing and come away with totally different impressions of what they saw. This is why the concept of a plurality of Elders is so important. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Katherine Alice said...

Nice crabs :)! Thank you for your comment.

Katherine Alice said...

umm just out of curiosity, which member of the Hector family commented on my blog?