Every Creeping Thing

One day the cockroaches gathered in a field to tell each other of their stories and perils.

A certain roach told of the large fruit trees he had found to the south. Another told about the size of the birds he had escaped. Another roach began to warn his brethren about a flood that was coming.

"How big will it be?"

"Where can we hide?"

The roach explained that the flood would destroy everything. There would be no place to hide, but a giant boat.

"How do you know there will be a flood?"

"I was told by an angel." Said the roach.

The roaches gasped.

An older, respected roach spoke up and said, "How can you say an angel told you about anything? We are roaches! We hatch one day, a lion steps on us the next and that is the end of us. We are the nothings of this world."

"You say heaven has become interested in our welfare. How are we to believe the most pathetic creatures of all will be saved by such spectacular means?"

"Do you suppose the angels have run out of things to do? Or is it that they have lost interest in matters such as protecting the earth and fighting the devil that they have nothing but to watch over the smallest creeping things?"

The elder roach began to circle the smaller roach.

"Where do stories like this come from?" He asked. "I'll tell you. They come from the foolishness of this younger generation which has become so self-obsessed, so near-sighted, as to suppose that God would take up a personal interest in their life."

"Is there any place where myths like this will come to an end?" Asked the elder roach. "Someday, one of you may even suppose -in a moment of pure foolishness- that God would not only wish to be a servant -a most inconceivable notion- but you would also hope He would like to serve you personally."

"That's crazy talk." Said one of the roaches. "We're just creeping things."

"Listen my friends. If we stick together we can find dignity among ourselves, but there is no one else who cares for us. There is no one to hear our plights and our afflictions but those of our kind."

One by one the roaches began to leave the area. The rest left in a slow way, as if they had kept something important behind.

The roach who had spoken of the message from the angels became discouraged. He too returned to his brothers to forage for food.

Only two roaches remained behind. In the distance they could hear the sound of a large boat under construction, and they decided to make their way to it.

But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife, and your sons' wives with you.
And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female.
Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive.
Genesis 6:18-20