Into the Woods with Curio: Spies at Camp!

Have you ever had the feeling that you are being watched when you are at camp? Do you feel that someone might be spying on you as you go about your day there? God is, thankfully, aware of everything that is going on at camp and knows everyone there. And the staff and fellow campers are watching out for each other, of course.

I’m referring to others that are watching, (and it isn’t with CCTV either).

The wildlife at camp – the birds and mammals and even some frogs and snakes – spy on people more than we know. Why? One reason is that they want to stay out of harm’s way, so they notice where we are in relation to where they are at any given time. Making use of all their senses they watch where we go, hear us as we move about the camp, smell us and our machines and our food, and even sense our movements through the ground when we walk by.

They also notice where we leave things, whether accidentally or on purpose, that might be food. The jay that lands on the deck railing of the tuck shop isn’t dropping in for a social call. It is checking in to see if any food has been dropped on the deck, or left unattended. It looks around thoroughly, tilting its head this way and that, all the while monitoring the whereabouts of any people nearby. If it sees something that may be edible it quickly judges the distance between the desired item and safety, and either launches itself to make the grab and get away, or leaves, all the while planning to return sooner than later, in case another animal, such as a squirrel or a mouse, has also seen it and grabs it.

The lunch or snack stored in an unguarded backpack, the garbage container with the loose lid, or any food left out in any of the buildings are all noticed by camp’s other residents, especially those with sharp eyes and a super sense of smell. But it’s not just food that some of these animals are after. Mice ‘borrow’ tissues and other soft material to make their nests, as do some birds. I once found a bird’s nest at camp with a plastic candy wrapper woven into it.

All of these animals are superbly capable of watching us while remaining unseen themselves. The camp property is their space, and has been for countless generations, and they know the area intimately. And they are always aware of our presence.

As Christians we ARE being watched, though we may not be aware of it. Unbelievers and believers alike notice what we say and do, measuring our actions to see if we are as authentic as we say we are.

“Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.” I Peter 2:12