Life’s Principle: Evolve to Survive: Integrate the Unexpected: Incorporate mistakes in ways that can lead to new forms and functions
In order to know what is unexpected, we need to define ‘expect.’ Expect: verb (to use with object): 1. to look forward to; regard as likely to happen; anticipate the occurrence or the coming of. I recognize now that to expect something is subjective. You and I may expect different things in the same circumstance. When reading this devotional, I expect you to read it the way I wrote it when I wrote it. That may include seriousness, but I may have written something with snark (my love language) that may be unexpected when you read it. So, when I am thinking about unexpected things in the Bible, I am seeing them through my own bias towards what is expected and unexpected. That’s why I have chosen this story because there may be both (and because it is another favorite.) It comes from 1 Kings 17: 1-6. I have used The Message, a paraphrase versus a translation of the Bible, because, one, it’s fun to read, and second because I believe Eugene Peterson, the paraphraser, writes this as if what happened was unexpected. (If you’re not familiar with a paraphrase versus a translation this is a good example.)
And then this happened: Elijah the Tishbite, from among the settlers of Gilead, confronted Ahab: “As surely as God lives, the God of Israel before whom I stand in obedient service, the next years are going to see a total drought—not a drop of dew or rain unless I say otherwise.” God then told Elijah, “Get out of here, and fast. Head east and hide out at the Kerith Ravine on the other side of the Jordan River. You can drink fresh water from the brook; I’ve ordered the ravens to feed you.” Elijah obeyed God’s orders. He went and camped in the Kerith canyon on the other side of the Jordan. And sure enough, ravens brought him his meals, both breakfast and supper, and he drank from the brook.
Elijah is a prophet, chosen by God to speak for God, so he confronted Ahab on behalf of God. (Some in Christian circles may find it disconcerting that God asked Elijah to confront Ahab and then tell him to flee, but there is nothing in Christianity that says being obedient to God always results in rainbows and sunshine. It can be scary.) God’s response telling Elijah to flee may have been unexpected and anxiety inducing. I wonder (see what I did there) if that is why God immediately told Elijah that the brook would provide water and ravens would bring him breakfast and dinner. A raven! Now, for us, that is unexpected. What it has allowed for us to do though, is to take a minute and ask questions. Why is it unexpected? It does not seem like Elijah thought it was out of the ordinary. Perhaps this tells us about the relationship people had with nature or even the relationship people had with God. Afterall, Elijah was obeying God so why would a God- created raven not obey God as well? When we come across the unexpected in the Bible let’s discern what the story is trying to tell us. Perhaps it is less unexpected than it first seems.
Integrate the Unexpected: Tuskless Elephants
Evolution is change that spans generations. It arises through mutations in the code of an individual or from sexual reproduction that recombines genes. Those with beneficial traits usually survive to then pass on this genetic code to their offspring. As the environment changes, success is dependent upon this trait being passed successively through many generations to affect the entire population for a true genetic shift.
When it comes to genes, sometimes an unexpected “mistake” can be integrated more often and become the “normal” gene expression. Unfortunately, humans are playing a part when it comes to African elephants who are being poached for their ivory tusks. “A previously rare genetic mutation causing tusklessness has become very common in some groups of African elephants after a period in which many were killed for their tusks.” Tuskless elephants were not hunted and so they were able to pass on the tuskless genetic code to their offspring. African elephants are having to integrate what was considered a “mistake” in order to be tuskless so they can survive humans.
DivineSite
Ravens are a sleek, black feathered predator bird and the largest of the perching birds. They can be found all over the North American continent, but they do avoid populated areas. Ravens are not picky eaters, enjoying a variety of carrion, mice, birds, insects, scorpions, fish, grains, berries, and human food. They are acrobatic birds, but also fly with a flap and glide pattern which conserves energy while maintaining speed and experts in orientation. Ravens have many similarities to humans: consciousness, plan for the future, abstract notions of self and time, and the need to process the day through dreams.
I am assuming Noah knew all of this about ravens. He was taking care of ravens on the ark. “Then he sent out a raven, and it flew here and there until the water was dried up from the earth.” (Gen. 8:7 NLV) And God sent the ravens to Elijah to bring him food. Now you know the kind of food the ravens may have fed him with! What I find interesting about the choice of the raven is this… it is mentioned as one of the unclean birds not to be eaten in Leviticus 11:15. Why?
(Was that an unexpected ending?)