CLEOEJACKSONIII.COM
  • My Home Page
  • My Life and Ministry
  • My Ongoing Thoughts
  • My Favorite Bible Verses
  • My Favorite Stories
  • My Favorite Jokes
  • My Favorite Quotations
  • My Favorite Web Links
  • My Contact Info
"Helping Others Communicate"

PLAYING WITH FIRE!

3/23/2021

 
The news today carried a story about a tourist who filmed herself playing with an octopus, but not knowing as she did that she was “playing with fire” in the process!  As reported by Michael Hollan on www.FoxNews.com, while vacationing in Bali, Kaylin Phillips filmed herself holding what she thought was just a charming little octopus she had happened upon while exploring the beach.

After she put the animal down, however, she soon learned just how dangerous the little thing truly was. She later posted the footage to her TikTok account, where she wrote “Going to Bali and unknowingly holding one of the most dangerous animals.” The video, which at the time the article was posted had already been viewed over 5.7 million times, goes one to identify the sea creature as a blue-ringed octopus.

The blue-ringed octopus is capable of injecting a deadly venom with its bite, The Sun reports. This venom contains a deadly neurotoxin that is capable of causing respiratory arrest in just minutes.

Needless to say, given that the video footage shows Phillips playfully cuddling the octopus in her hand, she remains very fortunate that it did not bite her. The blue-ringed octopus’ bite is powerful enough to kill humans.  

Phillips herself commented on the video, saying, “I actually held two of them in the same day. I tried to feed them oranges for a solid 20 minutes.”  She later added that, after having found out just how much danger she had been in, she called her dad crying.

The article goes on to report that numerous TikTokers wrote in to offer helpful advice, with one user summarizing, “Advice from marine biology/zoology: Never ever pick up, touch or eat anything brightly colored. Period, animal or plants.”  Another agreed, postulating that Phillips likely used up all her luck on that one!

Even the reporter himself chimed in with some good advice:  “Just because something is cute doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous.  I would add a hardy “Amen”!

The wisdom of the ages dictates that “playing with fire can be dangerous”!  This simple principle reminds us that it is neither wise nor safe to approach things that demand our respect in a careless or frivolous manner!  Doing so will invariably entail consequences.

And yet, time and again, in every generation and in every context, people seem to fall prey to such temptations.  At times, this may be done out of simple ignorance.  At other times, it gets done by accident.  At still other times, it is done intentionally, often in an attempt to receive the perceived gratification and/or reward that accompanies any such behavior.

Sadly, of course, the cost all too often outweighs the thrill!  The bill, when it comes due, is far more than the individual had ever intended to pay.  Nonetheless, the bill must be paid!  The toll must be exacted!

This is precisely why the Word of God admonishes us not to play around with things that can prove to be detrimental to us.  Way back in the Garden of Eden, God told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of a certain tree.  The temptation to do otherwise was powerful.  And when they succumbed, the consequences proved deadly!  This pattern, once established, continued to manifest itself in every generation throughout Scripture…

Gehazi played with fire when he coveted the riches of Naaman the Syrian, and deceitfully pursued them!  David played with fire when he lusted over the wife of Uriah the Hittite, and deceitfully pursued her!   Ananias and Sapphira played with fire when they desired recognition and prestige over others, and deceitfully pursued it!  The list is endless…

In every case, the consequences were more than they bargained for.  Gehazi received not only Naaman’s wealth, but also his leprosy.  David got time with Bathsheba, but also with the prophet Nathan!  And Ananias and Sapphira got remembered for something alright; only it was not at all for what they had intended!

All of this begs a question of you and me.  Are we playing with fire?  Are we playing around with things we have no business messing with?  And if so, have we considered the consequences of any such behavior?!

So, my friends, be careful.  Be very, very careful!  For truly, if you play with fire, you may very well find that you get burned in the process!

STORY SOURCE:
 
https://www.foxnews.com/travel/bali-tourist-filmed-holding-deadly-octopus-blue-ringed.

NOTE:
 
Interestingly enough, a similar article in the news this week told how another man flirted with danger, and miraculously lived to see another day:  https://www.foxnews.com/us/san-diego-man-arrested-for-taking-2-year-old-inside-elephant-exhibit-at-san-diego-zoo. 

In both stories, thankfully, the parties involved survived relatively unscathed.  Nonetheless, each story also serves to illustrate the point that playing around with things we have no business messing with can prove to be quite dangerous in the long run!


SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/niv/genesis/3.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/2_kings/5.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/2_samuel/12.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/acts/5.htm.

Comments are closed.

    Cleo E. Jackson, III

    Occasionally I will add
    a few thoughts to my blog. If you find them inspirational, I will be
    honored.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010

    Categories

    All