Years ago at work, we had hedgehogs.
I loved animals, but I kept my distance from them. Their spines intimidated me. I was afraid of getting poked, so I admired them from afar, never realizing they had soft places if I had taken the time to know them better.
There was an employee, though—someone who could be a bit prickly himself. Conversations with him sometimes required “kid gloves.” Yet interestingly, he was the one who took to the hedgehogs. He fed them, cleaned their space, and made sure they were well cared for. Where others hesitated, he leaned in.
Looking back, I see a quiet lesson in that season.
Sometimes God places the prickly ones among us—not to push us away, but to teach us compassion. The people who seem hardest to love often recognize tenderness in others that we overlook. And often, those who appear guarded or sharp on the outside carry a surprising capacity for care on the inside.
Jesus never avoided the prickly. He touched lepers. He spoke gently to the broken. He dined with those others kept at arm’s length. Scripture reminds us,
“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
I regret not taking the time to befriend the hedgehogs more—to discover their soft places. But I’m grateful for the reminder they left behind: love requires courage, patience, and a willingness to see beyond what first meets the eye.
Lord, help us not to shy away from the prickly people or situations You place in our lives. Give us Your eyes to see hearts, Your hands to care gently, and Your love that reaches beyond fear. Amen.
