18 Feb, 2009
Chimpanzee Attacks, Mauls Connecticut Woman Before Being Killed by Police
Tuesday , February 17, 2009
An out-of-control, 200-pound pet chimpanzee that had recently been given Xanax apparently went berserk and mauled a woman in Connecticut, leaving her in critical condition.
The owner of the former TV star chimp Travis stabbed him multiple times after the Monday attack, but to no avail. Police were called to the scene and say they had no choice but to shoot and kill the pet-gone-wild.
The bizarre scene unfolded in Stamford, when Travis suddenly attacked and tore up the face of 55-year-old Charla Nash, who was visiting his owner Sandra Herold Monday night.
Nash was taken to the hospital with severe wounds and remained in critical condition Tuesday.
(Find the rest of the story at: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,494067,00.html )
You Can Take the Animal Out of the Wild...
James 3:4-10 (New International Version)
4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
What does God's Story scripture teach us about taming out tongue?
This piece of scripture is one of the most plain, straight forward injunctions in scripture. The author of James makes it clear that the tongue is destructive. He starts clear back in chapter one, warning his readers to be careful when it comes to their tongues.
Here in chapter three, he hits the subject again and lingers here to make sure we get it. In the chunk I pulled out, he starts by comparing the tongue to the rudder on a ship. A first century boat would have been about one hundred feet long (a little longer than a college basketball court). Despite its siz,e a little piece of wood directed the boat's course.
Then the author paints a picture of total destruction as he compares our tongues to a forest fire. If you have watched the news at all you understand this illustration well.
The final comparison is to wild animals. The writer tells us man has tamed every animal, but he can't tame the tongue. We learn, though, from stories like today's news story that you never truly tame a wild animal, unless you change its nature. The tongue, like a beast, must have its nature changed, and that can only happen through God's work in our lives.
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
If you are like me, it seems like there are moments when your tongue loosens up and starts speaking before you even know what is happening. This is exactly what the author was talking about. He gives us some clues along the way.
- First, in James 1:19 the writer tells us to close our mouths and open our ears. Listen more than you speak. Memorize this verse so it sticks in your heart.
- Then, in 1:26 he tells us to bridle our tongues. Take a few minutes at the start of each day and ask God to help you keep a bridle on your tongue.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture, and our story to others?
We live in a world where people say whatever they want without any consideration for how others might feel about what they are saying. There is no bridling of the tongue in our society, which means there will be many opportunities to bring up the subject with a friend.
- Next time you and a friend hear someone say something that makes you cringe, ask your friend why it bothered them or maybe why it didn't?
- Be honest with your peers and tell them you are trying to be positive with what you say and that you want to listen more. Invite them to join you, and ask them to let you know if they think you missed it. When they see you follow through, it will make a difference to them.
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