'Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines; for our vines have tender grapes.' (Song of Solomon 2:15)
Those were the wise words of King Solomon penned many centuries ago.
They may seem a little obscure, but actually they have a deep implication upon our lives when we understand what they refer to.
The 'tender grapes' refers to the flowers which are just about to open on the vine, which in due course would bring about the promise of a great harvest of fruit.
Young foxes are playful and undisciplined creatures that are forever chewing up anything left lying around. I have seen them dig up various buried items and tear them to shreds for no other reason than it amuses them. They will scratch and gnaw at the leaves and budding flowers on a vine, tearing them to little bits and spoiling the fruit that would naturally have come if left alone.
There are 'little foxes' in all of our lives that spoil the potential that lies within us, and stop us from achieving the greater purpose set before us. These little foxes are referred to as 'the sin that does so easily spoil our walk with God'. (Hebrews 12:1)
It is God's desire that we 'bare much fruit' - live lives that produce the sweetness and nature of grace and love, and reflect the evidence that we are true followers of Jesus Christ.
It may be our temper or bad attitudes, some moral sin that always pulls us into its temptation, but like young untamed and wayward foxes, these things spoil our good intentions and desires to live a life becoming to a child of God. These little foxes ruin and hinder the good that was coming toward us and deny us blessings which were intended to enrich our lives. (Jeremiah 5:25)
Little foxes are like habitual sins that keep harassing us and spoiling everything that we aim to be: so we cry to God to 'take us the foxes', or put another way, "Oh God, take away the things that distract me, and remove the love of sinning from me, so that I might produce fruit that is consistently good and godly, and not spoil the testimony of my life."
When we give in to sin and disobedience, such actions become weapons against ourselves and damage our spiritual life, inflicting the nature of death on our conscience and disharmony to our peace with God. We need to confess our sins quickly and get back on the right path immediately with determination to walk the walk and live the life that God intends for us. (Romans 6:12-14; 1John1:6-10)
