Loaches, Lids and Life Lessons

 

I wasn’t planning to adopt fish—I just wanted the tank. But when I showed up to pick up my Facebook Marketplace purchase, the woman was so hopeful I’d take the fish too that I couldn’t say no. 

The tank was a murky mess—so full of algae I couldn’t even see what was inside. But I brought it home. Before I could clean it, I had to move the fish into a new environment. That’s when I saw the two big Dojo loaches! 

They were… unsettling at first. Long and snaky, with sudden movements that caught me off guard. I’m always reaching into the tank to adjust things, so I knew this could be a problem for me and I’d need to work through my discomfort. At first, every time they came near me, I’d jerk my hand out and squeal. But over time? I got used to them and now they don’t faze me anymore—in fact, just last week, I bought two more.  

As I dropped them in to meet their new tankmates, I thought: Wow—how quickly we can get used to things that once made us uncomfortable. 

Then it hit me: this is how sin often works. 

It doesn’t usually knock down the door. It prowls. It creeps in quietly—a compromise here, a justification there. What once convicted us begins to feel normal. Harmless. We “get used to it.” 

That’s why Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts, and why 1 Peter 5:8 urges us to stay alert—because the enemy loves it when we stop noticing. 

That’s why God calls us to vigilance—because drift is quiet, and comfort isn’t always our friend. 

At first, something feels off. But eventually? It’s just how we do things... 
That’s when something unsafe, unwise, or unholy becomes our new normal—because small compromises stack up without correction. 

There’s a name for it: normalized deviance. 

Furthermore, loaches are known for leaping out of tanks. Just yesterday, one of ours launched itself out—and by some miracle, landed in a nearby five-gallon bucket of water. It survived. But it could’ve easily gone the other way. I have got to be so vigilant about ensuring the cover in on. 

We, too, are prone to leap—into assumptions, temptations, distractions, or discouragement. If we’re not covered by boundaries, wisdom, and truth—we can find ourselves outside the place God intended for us. 

I’m so grateful for God’s grace, even when I leap without thinking, He is faithful to cover me. 

Psalm 91:4 reminds us: “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” 

So how do we stay covered? How do we stay alert? 

Here are a few practical ways: 

• · Check your “used to” list. Ask: What have I gotten used to that I would’ve questioned before?

    · Memorize a verse a week. It doesn’t have to be long. God’s Word helps reframe our thinking. 

• · Talk to someone wise. Community keeps our perspective sharp. 
  
• · Pray simply and often. Ask: “God, show me what I’ve stopped noticing.” 
  
• · Pause when you feel unbothered. If something should convict you and doesn’t, that’s worth some reflection. 
  

This isn’t about perfection—it’s about staying under God’s covering. 
Because when we drift or leap, His wings are still wide enough to catch us. 

Lord, help us to remember to cover ourselves in Your Word and walk in Your wisdom, so we can guard our hearts against the sins that so easily try to entangle us. Keep us alert to what we’ve grown too comfortable with. Cover us with Your feathers, as Your Word says—let us find refuge under Your wings. Bring to mind Your truth when our thinking drifts, and gently lead us back when we leap without looking. Thank You for Your grace, Your protection, and Your faithfulness. Amen