Jump Start # 2982

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

In the created world that God made, there was a difference between man and animals. Man was created in the image of God, animals were not. Man was formed out of the dirt, animals  were not. God communicated and directed His will towards man, not animals. And, from our verse today, man had a position that was above the animals. It was man who named the animals, not the other way around. It was man who had dominion, or rule, over the animals, not the other way around. Man was above the animals.

All of this reinforces the special positon that God put man in. He is a little lower than the angels but above the animals. Our culture seems  to be trying to elevate the role of animals on the level of humans. I was listening to a station on XM radio and they were promoting a new play list for “you and your dog.” I didn’t know that dogs listened to music. And, I wonder what kind of music makes it to the ‘dog list.’ How about Elvis’ “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog.” Or maybe some Three Dog Night would fit the bill. And, there is always “Who let the dogs out.” Don’t forget Snoop Dogg. The Royal Guardsmen had a couple of songs about Snoopy and the Red Baron. Now just who is going to put together this list for dogs? It won’t be a fellow dog, it will be a human.

Now as much as we like our pets and they serve a role in our lives, they are not equal to us and they are very limited  in what they can do. Lately,  I have seen more dogs on airplanes than children. Support dogs might be useful to some  who have had a traumatic experience in their lives, but there is a limit to what a support dog can do. He can’t reason with you. He can’t discuss things with you. He can let you know when you are getting out of line with your thinking. That dog can’t lead you to Scriptures and he certainly can’t pray for you. Dogs are nice,  but they cannot do what faith in Christ can. They cannot do what a fellowship can.

Here are some random thoughts about animals:

First, it is hard to understand the purpose of some animals. I don’t know why God made skunks that stink and rabbits that love to eat all the blooms in my garden. They likely have a purpose but I don’t understand some.

Second, God must have a great sense of humor when you look at some animals. The neck of the giraffe, the laugh of a hyena, a flamingo standing on one leg, a wood pecker pounding his head in a tree, the stripes of a zebra, the color of a parrot all very unique. Animals are not boring. God has a wide way of showing Himself in the animal world.

Third, it is God who said that man could eat animals. This came about not in Eden, but after the flood. Genesis 9 states, “Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant.” Now there are some things in that “every moving thing” aspect that I wouldn’t want to eat, such as snakes, worms and bugs. But modern times frowns on eating meat and hunting. That may not be your cup of tea, but to tell others that they shouldn’t do it or to insult them because they do is not right. This is a decree from God.

Fourth, unfortunately animals can be kinder than some people. The purr of a kitten or the wagging of a dog’s tail can put a smile on our face. Some people would do good to learn from animals. God even used animals, such as ants, badgers, locusts, eagles and even lizards to illustrate lessons that we need to see. Our Lord entered Jerusalem riding a donkey. Jonah spent three nights inside a giant fish that God prepared. In teaching about worry, Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air.” God uses His creation to teach us. We do well to spend some time looking at what God has placed before us.

Our Lord is connected to two animals, a lamb and a lion. John called Jesus, the lamb of God. Like a lamb that is innocently led to slaughter, so was Jesus. But Jesus is also a lion, the king of the jungle. Strong, powerful, and confident, that’s both the lion and our Lord.

I’ve seen someone in our neighborhood pushing a baby stroller, but there was no baby in it. It was her dog. That seems odd to me, and I suppose she really loves her dog. It was wrapped up in a blanket, just like a baby.

A music play list for dogs. I can see my grandfather just shaking his head at such a thought.

Let us remember the place of animals in our lives and let us remember our place with the Lord. God expects things from us because we can. And, because we can, we must.

Roger

Jump Start # 1367

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

  This week we are looking at who we are from Heaven’s perspective. We are more than a product of biology. We are not something that evolved. We are designed, planned, formed and made by God. We are in the likeness of God.

Now, does this mean God looks like us, since we are made in His likeness? First, understand, we all look differently. Some are short and some are tall. Some have fair skin and others dark. Some have blue eyes, some green, some brown. Some have little ears and others have big noses. Some have little hands and others have big feet. Some have straight hair and others wavy. Some have freckles and some are hairy. We look very differently from one another. The image our passage is driving at is our soul. God is a spirit. He does not have red hair, little nose, and is so tall. We are like God in that we too have a living soul that never dies. Jesus said do not fear the one who can kill the body and do no more. The body dies, but we live. The body is the outer case for our souls. We have a conscience. We are made holy. We love. We have a will and a purpose. We are like God.

In Acts, Paul said that God made all people from one man and determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation. God made us the way we are. Some of us are shy and some of us are outgoing. God has sprinkled all of us with abilities and talents. I have a friend who is an artist. She has been trained professionally, but she has what we call a “God-given” talent. She can see things that I never could. Many are like that. I’ve seen on Pinterest some of the most amazing things people can make. Someone can take a plain white bucket and make it a piece of art. I have a plain white bucket in my garage. I put dirt in it. God gives some that talent. My wife can play the piano. She studied piano in college. She not only can read music, but she has an ear for music. Play one note and she’ll tell you what key that was. She can recognize pitch when most don’t. She has taught piano, tuned pianos, written music and played in weddings and other settings. She got a very nice piano recently. In the evenings she sits and plays and plays. More than once, when she isn’t around, I’ve sat down at that wonderful instrument and tried to play. I can’t read music. I don’t have an ear. I can’t even sing in tune. Why is she that way? Blessed by God. We all are in different ways.

The Acts passage also tells us that God determined our boundaries. There are physical boundaries, such as living in the United States or living in Africa or living in Europe. There are time boundaries. We live in this generation. Why were we not living in the 1800’s, or back in the first century with the disciples? Why now? God determined. There are other boundaries such as talent. There are other boundaries such as race. Why was I born white? Biologically, we could say because both of my parents were white. Who decided all of that? Chance? Evolution? Or, is that one of the boundaries of God? Another boundary is gender. Why am I male? God determined that.

So, we are made by God. We are made the way we are by God. Male, female; black, white; tall, short; this talent or that talent; this time period or that time period—we are made by God with the boundaries He determined.

This leads us to the discussion of Bruce Jenner, once known as the Olympian champion, now and forever more, known as the guy who became a girl. His picture, as a she, is everywhere. He is making the rounds on the TV circuit. He may have an agenda, a TV show or something. ESPN is giving him a courage award. He ought to get the dumb award. The barn door has been opened. It was opened with same-sex marriage. Now guys are girls and girls will be guys. They will be wanting legal marriage next. The wider that barn door opens, the more radical things that will follow.

There are some ethical things that come up with what Jenner has done. Is he a woman or is he a man? Which public bathroom does he/she use? Does he/she go to a woman’s hospital? Is he/she insured as a man or a woman?

Is Jenner a woman? No. He has changed the outside, the looks, but he can’t change the chromosomes. The XY factors that determine male and female remain the same. That hasn’t changed. That was set by God. But there is a Biblical issue here as well. Jenner and others who think like he does, feels that he has been a woman trapped in a male body. His changes, including wearing women clothing, makeup, surgeries, hormone intakes has brought out what he felt like he always was. He was a woman in a man’s body is the twisted thinking that drives this. That thinking leads to the conclusion that God made a mistake. He was supposed to be a woman but was formed as a man. Jenner’s new person reverses that mistake.

There are two flaws in all of this.

First, God doesn’t make mistakes. Twisted thinking, sinful influences and living without a moral compass and God in one’s life can lead to all of this. What is next? Some who claims that they are a dog in a human body? Some dopey doctor who is influenced by money more than what is right, will do a series of surgeries to turn a guy into a dog. He can eat dog food, sleep on the floor, go outside to use the bathroom, carry things in his mouth, but at the end of the day, God made him a human and not a dog. What’s next, someone who wants to be half-man and half-woman? I suppose that person could marry himself. In time, he would divorce himself. What a mess. Leaving the Bible, we travel to some strange places. God doesn’t make mistakes.

Second, Jenner’s “new person,” is a slam to evolution. What a mistake. How is it that he “evolved” into a he and not a she? With the trial and error process, the human race would have become extinct with such mistakes.

Bruce is a Bruce. He was born with male chromosomes and he will die with those. His thinking has made him try to cross the boundaries that God has established. Is it wrong with what he has done? Yes. A person can change their hair color, but they remain who they are. He is trying to change who he is. God has roles and responsibilities for men and women that are different. They have different functions in life, family and the kingdom. Borrowing the language from Romans 1, in the context of homosexuality, these things are not natural. What is natural cannot understand what is unnatural. It doesn’t make sense. There are some things seriously wrong in trying to present unnatural things as normal. They are not. God says that they are not.

This is not a time for sick jokes about such things. This is a time to get people to see that once you allow one thing, there is no stopping. God has made us the way we are. We are to be holy like He is holy. We are to walk in the image of His Son. There will be many water cooler discussions about Jenner. Everyone will have their opinion. Most won’t agree with what he has done, but most will side with the idea that if it makes him happy, I can’t say it’s wrong. Most don’t have a clue. God made. God determined. That’s the discussion that will put sense back into all of this.

Made by God. Made in His image. Made the way you are. That’s what you are!

Roger