Joel 1:4

[Stewart (SDA)]

"That which the palmerworm has left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust has left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm has left hath the caterpillar eaten." (Joel 1:4)

Among the people of God there seems to be a multitude of "little" things nibbling away... one thing leading on to another.

It seems that criticism, fault-finding, and distrust are all relentlessly eating away at our spiritual vitality.

The "little foxes" have power to spoil the vine. (Song 2:15.) The little dishonesties, the little vanities, the little "bites" multiplied, all have the power to spoil the character. Until at last the people have nothing to bring -- "the meat offering and the drink offering are cut off from the house of the Lord".

Day by day "the spirit of criticism is eating away the very vitals of the people of God." (Upward Look p.239)