In our homeschool, we have been reading a book called Animal Life in Field and Garden. It is fascinating to me (not the kids) to read about the different kinds of teeth, bills, and wings, among other things, which are perfectly suited to an animal's differing functions.
In the past, I have been familiar with such things as mimicry and camoflauge in regard to an animal's protection. Regarding such, makes it perfectly clear to anyone who cares to understand, that we have a creator who is intimately involved in His creation.
But, reading this book has brought an entirely different dimension to my understanding, regarding not only the nature of animals, but the nature of man and their differences. Take, for instance, the cuckoo. It never builds a nest, or hatches out her own young. Why? Well, the book concedes that the birds lay so often throughout the summer that they don't have time to do so. Also, it is believed that due to the formation of her breast, the cuckoo isn't well equipped to hatch the eggs.
So, how do the eggs get hatched? She lays them in another bird's nest, who makes no distinction between the single egg of the cuckoo and the rest of her eggs, even though the egg is clearly not the same as the others. Furthermore, the baby cuckoo kicks the other hatchlings out of the nest and still the mother bird goes on taking care of it as if it were her own, seemingly not even missing her own chicks.
Don't you find that strange? I certainly would not create such a situation if I were God. But, the Bible says, that His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are so much higher than ours.
Notice, then, the differences in man. One lives almost entirely by his intellect, another by the work of his hands, and still another by his emotions. There is great variety in body build, stature, and strength. One likes winter, another one summer, and another still enjoys all seasons equally. Certain persons are creative in a number of ways, others are hardly creative at all. Some are born leaders. Others prefer to follow.
Of course, some of these things can be altered, at least a little. Much is determined by the way we were raised, for instance. Nevertheless, there is that part of us that is distinctly us. Each of us is a unique combination of all of the above.
What, then, accounts for these distinctions? It seems to me that the answer is destiny. God equips each of us for the job he has for us to do.
The Bible says he forms us in our mother's womb. He also places us in families.
Some things we eagerly embrace, but we often second guess God when we think we are too tall, for instance. Or, we wonder why we were raised in a less than perfect family. (I guess that would include all of us.) Others, struggle in their employment situation.
The fact is, God works all of these things together to accomplish what he wants to accomplish in us and in the world. Knowing that, makes all of the difference.
In the past, I have been familiar with such things as mimicry and camoflauge in regard to an animal's protection. Regarding such, makes it perfectly clear to anyone who cares to understand, that we have a creator who is intimately involved in His creation.
But, reading this book has brought an entirely different dimension to my understanding, regarding not only the nature of animals, but the nature of man and their differences. Take, for instance, the cuckoo. It never builds a nest, or hatches out her own young. Why? Well, the book concedes that the birds lay so often throughout the summer that they don't have time to do so. Also, it is believed that due to the formation of her breast, the cuckoo isn't well equipped to hatch the eggs.
So, how do the eggs get hatched? She lays them in another bird's nest, who makes no distinction between the single egg of the cuckoo and the rest of her eggs, even though the egg is clearly not the same as the others. Furthermore, the baby cuckoo kicks the other hatchlings out of the nest and still the mother bird goes on taking care of it as if it were her own, seemingly not even missing her own chicks.
Don't you find that strange? I certainly would not create such a situation if I were God. But, the Bible says, that His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are so much higher than ours.
Notice, then, the differences in man. One lives almost entirely by his intellect, another by the work of his hands, and still another by his emotions. There is great variety in body build, stature, and strength. One likes winter, another one summer, and another still enjoys all seasons equally. Certain persons are creative in a number of ways, others are hardly creative at all. Some are born leaders. Others prefer to follow.
Of course, some of these things can be altered, at least a little. Much is determined by the way we were raised, for instance. Nevertheless, there is that part of us that is distinctly us. Each of us is a unique combination of all of the above.
What, then, accounts for these distinctions? It seems to me that the answer is destiny. God equips each of us for the job he has for us to do.
The Bible says he forms us in our mother's womb. He also places us in families.
Some things we eagerly embrace, but we often second guess God when we think we are too tall, for instance. Or, we wonder why we were raised in a less than perfect family. (I guess that would include all of us.) Others, struggle in their employment situation.
The fact is, God works all of these things together to accomplish what he wants to accomplish in us and in the world. Knowing that, makes all of the difference.
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