Catch the Little Foxes

“It’s the little foxes that spoil the vine,” my grandmother used to say. Then my mom repeated the same thing. And now I say it to my own children. But what does it mean to beware of “the little foxes”?

After planting grapevines, it can take several years before they bear fruit. The vines require a lot of patience, care, watering, pruning, and protection. Foxes—even though small—can cause major damage by destroying the roots, eating the grapes, or chewing the stalk.

In the poetic love story of the Song of Songs, Solomon warns, “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards” (2:15). Some scholars believe this refers to seemingly small problems or behaviors that could threaten the young man and woman’s relationship if left unchecked.

Likewise for our spiritual journey, little things like bitterness (Hebrews 12:15), “unwholesome talk” (Ephesians 4:29), or even harmful influence from others (1 Corinthians 15:33) can slip into our lives and hardly be noticed.

My grandmother understood that little things can cause great harm, and her wisdom spoke volumes to her grandchildren. As we spend time in prayer and reading the Scriptures, the Spirit will help us “catch the little foxes”—the temptations or habits that might spoil our relationship with others and our walk with Christ.

By Brent Hackett - Bread Ministries


Song of Songs 2:8-15

Listen! My beloved!
    Look! Here he comes,
leaping across the mountains,
    bounding over the hills.
My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
    Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
    peering through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke and said to me,
    “Arise, my darling,
    my beautiful one, come with me.
11 See! The winter is past;
    the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth;
    the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
    is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree forms its early fruit;
    the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
    my beautiful one, come with me.”

He

14 My dove in the clefts of the rock,
    in the hiding places on the mountainside,
show me your face,
    let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
    and your face is lovely.
15 Catch for us the foxes,
    the little foxes
that ruin the vineyards,
    our vineyards that are in bloom.

Dear Father, please help me be alert for and deal with the little stuff that causes great damage.

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