Amazing Animals: Jessica The Hippo

Amazing Animals: Jessica the Hippo

Bible Blast: Read 2 Corinthians 11:12-15

I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

It’s a sunny, warm day, and you’re lying on a blanket in your backyard reading a good book. Curled up next to you is your cute, snuggly pet . . . hippo.

Not what you were thinking? Well, for Tonie in South Africa that’s exactly how life is. In the year 2000, a newborn baby hippo washed up on Tonie’s lawn. He adopted the lost animal and named her “Jessica.” Today Jessica—weighing almost a ton—fits right in with the pet dogs. She loves coffee and sweet potatoes, and she will even wander inside looking for a snack.

Hippos seem so gentle and adorable. Other than its size, a hippo would be the perfect pet. Right? Wrong! Did you know that in Africa, hippos kill more humans than any other wild animal? This is a great mystery because hippopotami are herbivores, plant eaters.

Sometimes the things in life that appear to be harmless are the most dangerous things around. Like, if you get a book from the library, you may not pick the one with the creepy dude on the cover because you know that book will have some seriously evil stuff inside. Instead you pick a book that has a happy boy and girl on the cover. As you read that story, you find yourself thinking that you need a boyfriend to be happy or cool, when you know the Bible says true joy is found in the Lord, not in boy-craziness (see Nehemiah 8:10). So even though some things seem harmless, they’re putting wrong ideas in our heads. We really need something called “discernment” from God when we’re making choices. Discernment is the ability to know what’s good and what’s evil.

Girl Gab: Mom, you can find some great footage of Jessica the Hippo online. After you watch a clip of this amiable beast, talk with your daughter about some things that appear to be good on the outside but aren’t good on the inside. This is a great time to discuss why you don’t allow her to indulge in certain TV shows, movies, books, music, or friendships. Daughter, ask God to give you discernment so you can make godly choices every day.