Something to Think About

We have some “children” who have taken up residence out front.  They come out at night and go back into hiding during the day.  They perform a valuable service to us and don’t create any trash or messiness.  I’m referring to several little toads that have evidently been hatched some place in front of our house…probably in one of the flower garden areas.  They come out at night because our porch lights come on automatically, and stay on all night.  These little critters sit under the lights and snap up whatever insect may unfortunately happen to get too close.  All of them seem to be enjoying themselves and are nowhere near underfed.

They aren’t as big as the full-grown variety.  I don’t think I’ve seen any mature toads out front this year.  Nevertheless, they are welcome, even if I do have to watch where I step when I go out after dark.

I’m not sure what the life cycle is of the toad.  When I finish this, I’ll have to look it up.  I’m thinking they overwinter underground.  No, I’ll look it up now.  Be back in a minute.

Well, I found out a few things.  Toads are amphibians, just as are frogs.  They mate in or around water, and their eggs are located in the water.  Tadpoles soon hatch, and if they survive, metamorphose into toads.

They hibernate over the winter underground, under a pile of leaves, or even at the bottom of a pond in the mud.  They can live 20 or more years, and don’t reach maturity until they’re three or four years old.  They eat about any small, dark thing that moves within a certain distance of them, including insects, worms, and for larger toads, small snakes or even mice.

So there you have it…more about toads than you probably wanted to know.  But I’m telling you all of this for a reason.

Toads normally aren’t one of a person’s favorite animals.  Just as spiders, mice, snakes, bugs (including the dung beetle…probably one of the more revolting of the insects), and other critters are often despised, toads are considered to be unclean by many, and the source of warts (untrue) by a good number of folks as well.  However, I believe the more one knows about an animal and the role it plays in the creation, the more that animal is at least respected for what it is and what it was created for.

Toads, just like all other animals, have a place in the environment.  They perform a service.  They fill a niche.  They do their thing.  And they are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” just as all other parts of the created universe are.

We would do well to do a little less turning up of our noses at something like a toad, and do a little more investigation as to the role that thing plays in the plan of God for His creation.  And when we do, we will come away with a renewed appreciation for the Intelligence that designed and made it all.