In spite of it all, Amos is enthusiastic about the new school year. It did not start out well as the teacher clarified her rules about bringing live animals to class. Zero, zip, naught-ta. No living creatures allowed. Period. That’s it. Final answer.
Balancing this horrible news was the capture of a new lizard back home—a gift from a friendly neighbor—a prime specimen unlike dozens of others which had been previously captured, cared for, released or otherwise performed their own version of “The Great Escape.” But this lizard is different. It looks more like a dragon.
After a week of captivity, Amos was proud to announce that his new friend was now eating out of his hand. Aside from his turtles, this is the first time he has been so blessed as to get one of his cold-blooded friends to trust him in that way. Reptiles are not given to displays of emotion. They are, after all, “cold-blooded.”
Used in a figurative way, the idea of getting someone to eat out of your hand indicates a favorable situation in which someone else is willing to do exactly what we want. Taken to extreme, this carries a negative connotation of coercion or manipulation. But, what if there is mutual love and respect and the boundaries of personal choice are not crossed? What if we eat out of the hand of God? What if He gets us to eat out of His hand willingly—because we love Him? How does it make Him feel to know that we love and trust Him enough to eat out of His hand?
In a statement rich in historical background, Jesus answered the tempter in the wilderness, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God’” (Mt. 4:4). In providing His truth, Jesus extends to us His offer to eat of the bread of life and live forever (Jn. 6:48-58). On our part, we must trust and obey for He Himself has said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (Jn. 14:15).