Hidden Pictures in Nature and Life

                I wasn’t the most diligent student, especially in math. If reading a book, nothing could distract me, but math attentiveness was lacking when working the assigned problems. If the heater doors hadn’t been replaced in the Ralston School building, I could still identify “pictures” in the grain of the wooden door. I remember one hidden image was a Beatles haircut! (Dad always said, “The mind is a funny thing.”).

                A month or so back when working outside, I looked at the stump of an old black locust tree. Reverting to my old pastime in math, I spotted a hidden animal in the stump. See if you can locate the animal in the stump in the photo below.

The "armadillo snout" that I saw is located
in the upper right quadrant of the photo.*

              As I used the string trimmer at the base of the stump, I stepped back several times. I finally decided I saw an armadillo poking its snout out. My old ways from elementary school in Mr. Welker’s math class had returned.

A closer look at the part of the old stump that
looked like an armadillo snout to me.**

                When teaching, the third graders relished anytime I gave them a hidden picture puzzle. Making sure I experienced the thought processes needed to recognize the hidden items, I always did the puzzle “cold” myself.  I reminded myself I had to see the picture beyond the obvious, looking for the items “disguised” as something else.

                Jesus warned His followers of the disguise of false teachers. He compared them to ravenous wolves enshrouded as innocent sheep as recorded in Matthew 7:15. In Paul's farewell message to the believers at Ephesus, he noted the catastrophic results of those predators of the church in Acts 20:29, “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.”

                One of the worst deceptive disguises was depicted by Paul in his second letter to the Corinthian church, in the eleventh chapter, verse 14: For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. What a myriad of ruses are perpetrated on naïve sheep by the Deceiver who Jesus described as a thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  

                May we never forget the many disguises of Satan. He uses many methods but veils most in light until he has stolen, destroyed, and killed any longing a person has for the plan God desired for that person. We warn others of the wicked one who shrouds himself in light, and remember, as believers, we must be alert to the devil’s stealthily concealed traps.

                As those who have experienced a relationship with Christ the Lord, let’s share the wonderful truth of the loving, forgiving, and restorative Jesus, the True Light of the World. The Apostle Paul described Him in Colossians 2:2-3, …Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Embrace this prayer of David from Psalm 27:8 

When You said, “Seek My face,”

My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

**In this closeup, I outlined
 the snout and eye.

*I outlined the armadillo snout.