Julie Lavender

CONSIDER THE JUNE BEETLE
by Julie Lavender

The month of June brings sightings of June beetles on my walk with God, and this morning’s walk didn’t disappoint.

I love the iridescent and thick, green bodies of the beetles. They look almost like a jeweled-pendant my grandmother might have worn on the lapel of her coat when she dressed exquisitely to go to church … which meant every time she went to church.

Sightings of the regal-looking scarab beetle remind me of my social studies classes where we learned of the ancient Egyptian amulets and works of art that featured likenesses of a scarab beetle.  

Yet, despite its sturdy, non-threatening appearance – my entomologist-husband says they rarely attempt to bite and they have no stinging apparatus – the June beetle is quite a menace to farmers and crop producers.

June beetles gain entry to a ripe piece of fruit by boring a hole into the fruit’s flesh with the horn on the front of the head, and then it slurps and dines on the squishy inside of the fruit, like grapes or peaches or other yummy delectables.

The bug’s odor and excrement damage and ruin the fruit for human consumption.

Ewwww....

Nothing sinister-looking at all about the iridescent June beetle, yet it can cause grave damage to food and the livelihood of farmers.

I’m reminded similarly of the trappings of sin in this world. Sometimes, the temptation may exhibit no sinister outward appearance, no sign of imminent devastation. Yet if I allow it to, the temptation can bore a hole into my flesh, leaving behind the odor and excrement of sin and decay.

Fly away, June beetle.

On second thought, let me flee – flee from temptation and evil. I’m kindof partial to my squishy insides, and I don’t want sin to bore its way in.

What about you? Is there something in God’s creation that reminds you to flee from temptation?