That Thin Piece of Rope

Do you know what a proboscis is? No cheating. I’ll give you the answer is a moment if you don’t know, but first I want to talk about one of my favorite childhood books. Packy the Runaway Elephant.

This was back in the day when the book included a 45 record. You would play the record and follow along in the book. I loved Packy. It’s funny because now, as a much older adult, I don’t remember much of the story. Only that a little girl named Eloise had visited him when she was young, and then visited him when she was a grown women, there may have been some macaroons involved…and of course, “elephants never forget”.

Did you know that’s a true statement?

Elephants are known for their extraordinary memory. Elephants are the largest land animals in the world. The heaviest elephant in the world weighed 26,000 pounds.

If you visit elephant-world. com they have a list of 115 elephant facts, four of which I found a bit amusing.

Elephants are not afraid of mice as depicted in some Disney films, but they are terrified of bees.

Elephants use their trunks to make loud noises to scare away enemies, it’s called trumpeting.

An elephants trunk is sensitive enough to pick up a single blade of grass but strong enough to rip branches off a tree.

And elephants use their trunk as a snorkel when in deep water.

Oh, the word “proboscis”? That is another word for the trunk of an elephant. Elephants are amazing creatures!

I found another story I wanted to share this morning.

A gentleman was walking through an elephant camp one day, and he noticed that the elephants were not being kept in cages or held by the use of chains. All that was holding them back from escaping the camp, was a small piece of rope tied to one of their legs.

As the man looked at the elephants, he questioned why the elephants didn’t simply use their strength to break the rope and escape the camp. They could easily have done so, but instead, they remained captive.

Curious and wanting to know the answer, he asked a trainer nearby why the elephants were just standing there and never tried to escape.

The trainer replied, “when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it is enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

What has held you in the past? What is tying you down right now? The Lord Jesus wants us to be free, held back and held down by nothing. Does He allow testing? Certainly, but He also provides a way out.

Paul wrote, “Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out. - Good News Translation

God promises a way out of our trap.

Psalm 124:7 says, our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper; the snare is broke and we have escaped.

We do not escape on our own; we need Jesus.

Why did the elephants not break free? They had adopted the belief that it just wasn’t possible. But we know with God all things are possible!

The answer was: “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 ESV

Friend, what is holding you back? What thin piece of rope has kept you captive in a place you do not belong? Jesus is ready to free you.

by Jeanette Stark – Friday, March 24, 2023