THE WORM

This may seem a strange ending to our study of animal life in the Bible. But the worm — and we mean especially the earth-worm, is one of God’s creatures, and although despised and sometimes trodden under foot, it is very useful for the purpose for which it is designed. Speaking of treading on a worm reminds us of William Cowper’s lines, which it would be well to remember, so that we do not knowingly cause harm or pain to any living creature. He says in one of his poems:

“I would not enter on my list of friends
(Though graced with polished manners and fine sense,
Yet wanting sensibility), the man
Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.”

You may wonder of what use a poor crawling worm can be. Well, for one thing it is a wonderful helper to the farmer and the gardener. It burrows in the earth, as you know, and by so doing it keeps the soil from becoming caked or clogged. It lets air into the soil and makes it easier for the rain to get down to the roots. Then when it makes its holes in the ground, it actually swallows the earth and passes it through its body. The little bits of leaves or other vegetables or animal matter in the earth provide the worm with food. In this way too the lower soil is brought to the top, for the worm casts out at night on the top of the ground, the earth that has passed through its body. These are called “worm-casts”, which you can sometimes see on the grass in the morning. The worms also feed on dead leaves which they draw down into their holes at night. So you see how helpful the worms are to the soil and when you think there may be as many as fifty thousand in an acre of cultivated ground, you will see how useful they are.

But they are very helpless to defend themselves. They have no bones, no teeth, and no eyes, and this is why they keep under the ground in the daytime. If they were to come out at the top in daylight, the birds would find an easy prey and soon eat them up. So when it is dark and the birds have gone asleep, the worms come out of their holes to collect leaves and other food. You may wonder how they know when it is dark, as they have no eyes. Well, the nerves which run all down their bodies are very sensitive to light. You can see this if you take a light into the garden when it is dark. You will see worms poking out of their holes, but if you shine the light upon them, they will quickly draw back into their little homes.

Now one thing we read in the Bible is that man is called a worm. It tells us that the stars are not pure in God’s sight, and “how much less man, that is a worm; and the son of man, which is a worm.” Why is this? For one thing, man was made out of the earth; so we are told “the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground.” God also said to Adam after he had fallen, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” Then as Job tells us, the worms destroy the body. But man is like the worm especially because his natural mind feeds on the things of the earth. He is satisfied with earthly things and seeks his happiness in them; although if he is born again, he is given a new nature that wants God and the things of God. Man is like a worm too because he dwells in darkness in his mind, and hates the light. So Jesus said, “Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil; for everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God.”

Now when men are thus brought to the light and convinced of their evil deeds, they begin to feel themselves to be as worms. They find that they have many enemies which would eat them up, and they have nothing to defend themselves with. Satan is the great enemy who goes about seeking whom he may devour; and sin would destroy them except Jesus had come to save them from it. They feel themselves to be helpless against these enemies, and have to cry to the Lord to save and deliver them.

So we find that God calls His people worms, because they are poor helpless sinners exposed to His wrath and to all these enemies. But He comforts them and promises to be their help. He says: “Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” But a remarkable thing is that the Lord Jesus calls Himself a worm. This you will find in the 22nd Psalm, which is a Psalm describing Christ and His sufferings. He says there, “I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men and despised of the people.” So greatly did He humble Himself, that His people might be saved.

Friendly Companion

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