This was the summer of the ants for the Montgomery family.  Their tactical invasion of our kitchen put my wife on the warpath.  Carol changed.  What was sweet and caring became brutally protective.  No approach was too cruel or too unusual.  She made no effort to conceal her murderous ant-tics.  

Ant traps emerged.  Ant poison was on every corner of the counter.  A pile of paper towels sat readily available for her smashing pleasure.  By the time we ran out of paper towels it didn’t matter anymore.  Carol had blood on her hands, and yet, “out damn spot,” was never even considered.  Such was the state of her heart concerning God’s little black creations… and the children watched, especially Eowyn.  How would growing up in this battle zone affect her impressionable, young mind?

Already, when Eowyn saw insects, they would disrupt her daily living more than most.  It could be that she was still trying to figure out which ones were “dangerous.”  It could also be, that at the young age of 4, bugs seemed much larger and were a greater threat.  Ultimately, they had her attention.  

One day, Eowyn ran up to me and yelled, “Daddy, ant!” then pointed her index finger at me.  As alarmed as I could act I said, “Where?” then glanced over my body.  With no more specification, she continued to point and yelled, “ant!”  

“Where?” I dramatized, looking more frantically over my clothes than before.  She looked utterly confused.  Pointing with more emphasis, this time closer to my face, she said, “Ant!”  After looking for a short time longer, I saw it.  The black, smashed remains of the insect type, guts and all, stuck to the end of Eowyn’s index finger.  She learned from her mother well.  

2 Corinthians says, “…we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.”  

Deceitful thoughts are like ants.  The first thought slips into our head, and if we allow it, it will stay for a short time before departing without incident.  We know that the thought was counter to God’s will for our lives, but convinced it’s no big deal, we move on.  Then it comes back with greater force and departs.  It’s not a problem, though.  It’s been handled.  Before too long those thoughts become a much greater challenge to manage.  For some, they become obsessions and the catalysts for a great deal of pain.  

May I suggest the “Eowyn approach?”  Search out the lies.  Look for them as bigger threats than they first appear to be.  Smash them in any way possible, then celebrate with your heavenly Father.  “Daddy, ant!”  

-Pastor Travis Montgomery