Alligator Attack

Blake was a journalist who worked for the local town newspaper.  He and a photographer visited the hospital to interview a boy named Robbie who survived an alligator attack.

Robbie recounted how he was at home with his mother that fateful day.  She was finishing up the laundry while Robbie told her he was going to swim in the big pond next to their house.  Robbie ran out of the house with his swim trunks on and jumped off the small pier into the water.

As Robbie’s mother put the clothes in the dryer, she glanced outside the window and caught a glimpse of something in the middle of the pond.  When Robbie made a splash in the pond, there was a reaction in the middle of the pond.

Robbie’s mother then realized that was an alligator.  She ran out the house screaming Robbie’s name, yelling for him to swim back to the pier.  Robbie heard his mother, but he didn’t know what she was shouting about.  Nevertheless, he obeyed his mother’s voice and swam back towards the pier.

Robbie’s mother’s eyes widened with fear when she saw the young alligator swim straight towards her son.  She kept screaming for Robbie to swim faster.  When Robbie grabbed the pier, the alligator caught Robbie by the legs.

Robbie’s mother managed to run to the pier and grabbed Robbie by the arms just as the alligator got Robbie.  The alligator started twisting and thrashing, trying to drag Robbie back in the water, but the mother held on, screaming and crying.

A neighbor heard Robbie’s mother frantic screams and ran out with a shot gun.  He shot the alligator dead, saving Robbie.

Blake listened to Robbie’s story with interest and took plenty of notes.  The photographer took a picture of Robbie in his hospital bed and took a couple snapshots of the scars on Robbie’s legs where the alligator had bitten him.

Just as Blake and the photographer were about to take their leave, Robbie asked Blake if they wanted to see the scars on his arm and take some pictures.  Puzzled, Blake asked Robbie what did he mean.  Why would Robbie have scars on his arms if the alligator attacked him at the legs?

Robbie replied that the scars on his arms were from his mother’s nails digging into his flesh, refusing to let him go.

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for all of us by dying for our sins on the cross at Calvary.  He is not willing to let us go and perish alone in our sins.  Will you make the commitment to hold on to Jesus?

• Recommended reading: Hebrews 7:25; 2 Peter 3:9