Daily Devotional – June 20

Biology

Have you heard of the boxer crab? It carries around pom poms like a high school cheerleader - but its pom poms are deadly sea anemones. The crab uses these anemones to sting small animals in order to eat them. The sea anemones then share in the meal. This is a mutually beneficial (symbiotic) relationship. The tiny boxer crab, measuring only one inch across, would be an easy lunch without the protection of the stinging sea anemones. The threat of a one-two punch from the sea anemone’s “pom poms” is enough to scare most predators away. If the predator is not scared away, the stinging cells on the sea anemone’s tentacles have enough poison to kill small animals – now the predator is lunch! God in His wisdom knew that boxer crabs and sea anemones would need each other and so designed this symbiotic relationship to benefit each animal.

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

~ Job 9:4

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.