Prickly Heat

Night had fallen. I stepped into the calm of my

dimly lit garden after a sultry day, breathing in the

balmy evening air. From the evening shadows came

faint intriguing sounds: The mesmerising sound of

rhythmic snuffling, snorting, huffing, puffing, and grunting.                                  Was there a pig in my garden?

My ears pricked up. I moved closer and peered into the dim darkness. Soon I spotted the unmistakeable movement of two hedgehogs shuffling through the undergrowth, one following the other.

Round and round they went, circling border plants, trundling repeatedly onto the lawn and back into the undergrowth, single file, barely two inches apart.

I stood motionless as they filed past my feet, then noticed something baffling: The first hedgehog had been walking backwards the whole time! Nose to nose with his pursuer, reversing and grunting as he retreated. The follower forged ahead, brash and determined, whilst the reversing hedgehog was stalling him with dissenting grunts and head-buts.

I soon cottoned on that the reversing hedgehog was protecting his territory against the intruder, trying to deter him with a face-off. I could almost hear him saying; ‘back off!’ but the bully, undeterred, persisted.

The Lord hates a person who stirs up conflict Prov 6:16-19

Both hedgehogs were prickly and let us be honest, so are we when provoked. We have it within us to be prickly towards others, which wounds. But God’s love calls us to avoid face-offs, standoffs, and territorial turf wars, to be peacemakers and reconcilers. Intimidation is never right, and with God’s help we can rise above it, even when disagreements run deep.

With Love

Rev Gill x

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Rom 12:18