Fox Sightings

It was a Saturday morning in late summer when something caught my attention as I was driving to a bridal shower. Glancing to my left, there, in the midst of a green meadow, was a little red fox. It was sitting in the open, scratching his ear! I said aloud (mind you, no one was in the car with me): “There’s a fox! What is that little fox doing there?”

It was the first time since moving to Crown Point, Indiana, many years ago, that I had seen a fox within the city limits. This one seemed totally undaunted by the fact that he could be seen. Song of Solomon 2:15 quickly came to mind: “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.”

Pondering this, I drove on to my destination. Two days later, I received a text from someone who wanted to know how to pray for her close friends who were at odds with each other. She said:

Offenses, hurts, bitterness, deception, misunderstandings, miscommunications, false assumptions, immaturity, blaming, pride . . .  those ‘little foxes’ are sneaking in and trying to turn their hearts against each other.

Within a week, I heard of two more “fox sightings.” One friend said the fox she saw was not afraid, and acted like he had ownership to be where he was! At the same time, others mentioned misunderstandings sprouting up among friends.

Pondering over the “little foxes,” I looked up Song of Solomon 2:15 in several translations, searching for more insight. Some translations have the verse spoken by the Bride, or her friends. In The Passion Translation, the Bridegroom-King speaks:

You must catch the troubling foxes, those sly little foxes that hinder our relationship. For they raid our budding vineyard of love to ruin what I’ve planted within you. Will you catch them and remove them for me? We will do it together.

In The Passion Translation’s notes for this verse, translator Dr. Brian Simmons, writes: “These ‘foxes’ are the compromises that are hidden deep in our hearts. These are areas of our lives where we have not yet allowed the victory of Christ to shine into. The foxes keep the fruit of his Spirit from growing within us.”

I like that the Bridegroom King ends the verse with, “We will do it together.” It speaks of intimate relationship. The Bride is not alone in this task.

The notes in the New Spirit Filled Life Bible, New King James Version (p. 863), has this to say about Song of Solomon 2:15:

There are no giants in our land, but there are little foxes, like unbelief, resistance, and hardness of heart (Numbers 13, 14). Hardness of heart is the great enemy of love since everything depends on receptivity and openness.

Numbers 13 and 14 are about the spies being sent into the land of Canaan, the land God promised to the children of Israel. Twelve men went. They returned after 40 days with a report for Moses and Aaron. Ten were against it – overcome with fear. Only Joshua and Caleb were ready to go in and take possession. Moses interceded.

This is our position, too. When there are disagreements, contention, division, factions, or dissensions – we intercede. This means, we stand in the gap praying on behalf of those who are in conflict with each other.

Warren Wiersbe’s, The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament Wisdom and Poetry, suggests (p. 545):

The ‘little foxes’ represent those things that quietly destroy relationships. Foxes get into vineyards to feed on the grapes, and the keepers must prop up the branches so the foxes can’t reach them.

Earlier, in Song of Solomon 2:12, the Bridgegroom-King annouces, “. . . the season for singing and pruning the vines has arrived.” Pruning is yet another way to avoid the little foxes that spoil the vineyards in blossom. Pruning removes deadness and unfruitfulness in our souls, making way for fresh new growth.

It is comforting to know the Bridegroom-King is the one who decides when it’s time to prune, and then does the pruning. All we need to do is yield to His masterful hand. Once pruned, He will lift us up, out of the way of the sly, yet troubling, little foxes. Our part is to stay on the alert:

“There’s a fox! What is that little fox doing there?”