They are small and inconspicuous yet incredibly destructive.  Their strength lies in their large numbers, their unity, and the fact that they work behind the scenes and underground.  They topple buildings, destroy valuable artifacts and devastate properties owned by the rich and the poor alike.  They have colonies on almost every continent and seem willing to demolish property, irrespective of the owner’s race, creed or political persuasion.

Last year, in the United States these little guys did an estimated five billion dollars worth of property damage to over 600,000 homes but there were no resulting arrests or fines.  Perhaps some of their effectiveness is owed to the fact that they work seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.  In fact, since they usually operate in subterranean environments, it is very possible that some of them are destroying the property in which you reside.

We call these little guys “termites.” There are over forty species of termites in the United States, and over 2,700 species throughout the world. Termite queens are believed to live 15-25 years and can lay an egg every fifteen seconds. A typical home may have three to four termite colonies around it and they can enter your home through a crack no thicker than a penny.  Those ferocious, insatiable insects that devour homes, fences, trees and businesses can live in colonies with as many as one million members. It is estimated that there are one thousand pounds of termites for every one human being on the planet. Worker termites search for food up to 250 feet from their colony and one colony of Formosan termites can eat 1,000 pounds of wood each year.. (preceding facts taken from http://www.termidorhome.com)

Termites remind me of some other little guys… little devils.  I mean attitudes like division, mistrust, accusation and suspicion. Or little thoughts and voices like those of doubt, fear, worry and unbelief. They work underground and behind the scenes.  They seem small and relatively harmless, but if left unchecked they will sink homes, businesses, churches, communities and nations. Often their damage is not evident until a person or institution begins leaning to one side or crumbling around the edges.

We would do well to exterminate those little guys before the damage has been done.  At the first sign of negativity, gossip or slander we should douse the situation with prayer, love and truth.  When the slightest whimper of doubt or fear arises we should seek out sources for worship, faith and inspiration.  Like a proactive home owner, it would be wise to protect against these little guys with daily devotions and weekly worship services, sprinkled with good books and wholesome fellowship.

The good news is that there are some other little guys that can be just as impacting—only for the good.  Now I am referring to attitudes such as gratefulness, kindness, optimism and hope.  These attitudes prompt people to be kind, respectful and trustworthy even when others around them are not. God’s love and forgiveness are the fountainhead of these little guys. If enough people would let God love them and then let God’s love flow through them into their immediate environment, the whole world will be changed. Those good little guys could make all the difference… those good little guys could restore your country, your home or your very life.