WESTERN WISDOM, Season 5, Episode 9, "No-See-Ums Plagues" audio podcast by award-winning western author Stephen Bly. Nothing more miserable in the Old West than an attack of biting gnats. Sponsored by BlyBooks.com Legacy Series.
"Sand Flies, Midges, & No-See-Ums" blog post article found here: https://www.blybooks.com/2023/03/no-see-ums/
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NO-SEE-UMS
Stephen Bly
Copyright 1995
In most books about the Old West, you seldom read about the bugs. Oh, there are great stories about bears, snakes, and mountain lions. But what about when the cowboys, prospectors, mountain men, and pioneers had to face the dreaded enemies of mosquitos, fleas, lice, gnats, and no-see-ums?
Each of these little creatures had their impact on the flesh and blood of the folks who came west.
Biting Gnats
My favorites are the no-see-ums. That was the name the Indians gave to the buffalo gnats because they were so small you couldn’t see them sitting on your arm. But you could sure enough feel their sting.
You could wander off into a swarm of them without knowing it. But it wouldn’t take long to discover them. Suddenly, your arms, neck and face and anywhere they could light became inflamed with bites.
What You Can’t See
What you can’t see can hurt you. Whether they’re visible or not, you will feel the pain and have to nurse the wounds.
Spiritual World Attacks
The same is true in the spiritual world. Sometimes sin attacks us like a grizzly bear. It will shred your life and render you gasping for breath. You give it your best battle, and with the help of other believers, and the intervention of the Holy Spirit, you can fight back and win.
But not all sin attacks us with such directness.
Swarms of Sins
There are swarms of little temptations and sins so small that one by itself seems insignificant and harmless. In a world of moral collapse, in a society of violence and deceit, in a community of gross immorality, in a neighborhood of blasphemous speech, in a family of covetousness, in a fellowship of selfishness, you can rationalize the little sins won’t hurt you.
Growth Pattern
James 1:15 states, “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death.”
Notice the verse doesn’t distinguish between grizzly bear or no-see-um sized sin. No matter what the sin, we will feel the pain and need to nurse the wounds that have been inflicted.
Unseen Danger
The most dangerous spiritual attack might not be up there on the horizon. It might already be swarming unseen around you. You need to be armed with the repellent of obedience to God’s Word before the attackers ever come into view.