09072024 Mosquitoes

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the Creator God. God created everything in the natural world, right? He has a reason for all of His creation, right? So why did God make mosquitoes?

I don’t know why I was thinking about this recently. Most likely either because a mosquito bit me or because one was buzzing around my head. Now, there are a lot of nuisances in creation: snakes, spiders, locusts, gnats, MOSQUITOES! I suppose we would have a hard time coming up with ways those things are good or beneficial. Probably there are scientific and environmental reasons of which I am unaware, at least for some of these critters. But could there possibly be anything good in mosquitoes?

Consider these questions. What if every human being was created with an eternal soul that will live somewhere forever? What if there were only two options – a perfect, blissful heaven and a torturous, flaming hell? What if the only way to arrive in heaven instead of hell was by putting your full confidence in God, who alone can save you from your damning sin?

What if your life was all pleasantness and perfection? Would you have any reason to seek such a God? Would you be impelled to look for anything beyond your current existence? Would you even believe that there could be an eternal place of punishment that really could be all that bad?

What if you were so blessed that you really had no pressing needs? What if your health was so perfect that you had no fear of illness and no impending reality of death? What if there were no threats to your longevity? Would you even think about death or eternity?

That brings me back to mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are the deadliest creature on earth. It is believed that they kill at least three-quarters of a million people (maybe as many as 2 million) every year, through diseases like malaria, Zika virus, yellow fever, dengue, and West Nile virus.

Mosquitoes thrive world-wide, and they are no respecter of persons. In the USA, we are fairly safe from these dangerous illnesses, but did you know that seven US presidents had malaria at some time in their lives? In spite of medical and environmental advances, half the world’s population still lives at high risk for mosquito-borne diseases, and without the treatment advantages available in the US.

Consider the ramifications individually. Especially for people living in vulnerable areas, the fear of mosquito-borne illnesses is a reminder of man’s mortality. What if I get West Nile virus? I’m too poor to afford care. Both my grandparents died from malaria. Am I next? I’ve had dengue so many times that if I get it again, I will probably die. The mosquitoes are especially bad this year. There is too much risk, and I am not ready to die.

Consider the ramifications regionally. What if you lived in a country caught up in the midst of an outbreak of one of these diseases? It seems every family is affected. Everyone knows of someone who has died. There appears to be no way to control it and no end in sight. How many of my friends and family members will die? I’m afraid to go out. I’m afraid to get sick. I’m afraid to die.

Maybe I’m exaggerating. Maybe mosquitoes and their potential impact do not have this kind of effect on people. But I believe that they must contribute to the realization of mortality. They have to be a piece of the puzzle. There are people, and there are times, when the reality of mosquitoes leads someone closer to seeking God.

Does God really do this? Does He actually use mosquitoes to declare Himself? Consider the ten plagues in Egypt. God used infestations of frogs, gnats (lice), flies, and locusts. Why? Yes, it was in order to deliver His people. But it was also so that Egypt would know that He was God. It was to show that there was no one like Him. It was to show His power and proclaim His name throughout the earth. God repeatedly declared these purposes (Exodus 7:5,17; 8:10,22; 9:14,16,29; 10:1-2; 11:9).

Some of the Egyptians got the message. As I understand it, some of them believed, and some left Egypt with the Israelites. The message spread all the way to Canaan, and people there were also impacted. Rahab described the impact on the people of her region (Joshua 2:9-11). Rahab turned to the true God in part because of flies and locusts!

Is it cruel for God to use such harsh means to draw people to Himself? On the surface, it may seem so, but remember those paragraphs of questions at the beginning. Sometimes – perhaps, usually – people will not be drawn toward God unless there are harsh means. In that case, the harshness is actually merciful, because it ultimately rescues people from a far harsher eternity.

In the end, I am left with this question: Can I be thankful for mosquitoes? I’m not going to jump up and down with joy about them, that’s for sure. But I can have a level of sober (and amazed) appreciation for them inasmuch as I realize that they are part of the harsh means that God uses to draw some people to Himself. There are people for whom this is a piece of His strategy, as they face their fear and mortality. I can be thankful for a God who is wise enough to use even mosquitoes for His purposes.

May you see God use both usual and unusual means to reach needy people in your area of ministry. He is able!

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA