Shortly after moving here in the summer of 2012 I verbally threatened a young bear as he was trying to raid our garbage. Since he was too big to still be with his mother, but not yet as big as I am, I scared the bear more than the bear scared me. He grudgingly left.

The next bear I saw was on Father’s Day this year. Walking the dog in the woods near our house I heard and then spotted a bigger bear. Once this bear knew he had been seen he quickly left. That was good since I was carrying neither bear spray nor a gun.

Then last Friday night driving home from the rodeo we came around a sharp curve and there was a good-sized black bear in our headlights. I drove slowly toward him and he went into the brush above the unpaved road and disappeared.

This brings me to bears in the Bible. Actual bears are only mentioned twice. First, David killed a bear that was trying to get away with a sheep from his flock. Then two she-bears killed over 40 people who had been mocking the prophet Elisha.

But there are three Bible references to things comparable to a she-bear robbed of her cubs. In the first, King David, when pursued by an enemy in war, is likened to a bear robbed of her cubs. Then Proverbs 17:12 says that it is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool pursuing folly. Finally, Hosea 13:8 warns that God, judging rebellious Israel, will be “like a bear robbed of her cubs.”

God’s judgment is more serious than meeting a bear robbed of her cubs. But, since God loves you, you can truly become His friend. Don’t put it off.

Pastor Dan York can be reached at Dover Community Church.