Giant Redheaded Centipede

Genesis 8:19
“Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.”

Many of us would enjoy watching a redheaded woodpecker bang bang bang his head into a tree trunk. But today I’d like to tell you about another redheaded creature that would probably have many of us running in the opposite direction. I’m talking about the giant redheaded centipede.

After the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department posted a picture of the creepy crawler on its social media pages, the photo quickly went viral. To see one in real life, you would have to travel to northern Mexico or the southern United States. But we have a better idea. Check out the photo at the Creation Moments website.

As their name makes abundantly clear, these centipedes are really big – their bodies are typically eight inches long. And with 21 to 23 pairs of long yellow legs, they are able to get around quickly. Those legs aren’t just for locomotion, by the way. They can actually inject venom after making tiny incisions in human skin. Plus, the centipede has a pair of fangs that can inject a painful toxin. While it has not been confirmed, there are reports of one person dying of a heart attack after being bitten.

Though the giant redheaded centipede might send shivers up our spine, it reminds us that we live in a fallen world. As the Bible tells us, we long for a better country, a heavenly home where there is no pain, no suffering, and … I sincerely hope … no giant redheaded centipedes!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Adam’s disobedience brought suffering and death into the world, but the Last Adam endured suffering and death so that we may be reconciled to You. Thank You for sending Your Son to rescue us! Amen.

Author: Steven J. Schwartz
Elizabeth Palermo, “Giant Redheaded Centipede Photo Goes Viral, Horrifies the Internet”, Live Science, 7/10/15. Photo: Giant redheaded centipede. Courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

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