Friday, July 5, 2013

Fightin' Giraffes

One of the most interesting sights in our recent safari travels up north with Andrew and his girlfriend Kelly, was fighting giraffes.  We were at what has become our favorite park, Khama Rhino Reserve.  We were watching 3 rhinos drinking, along with 2 gemsbok, and a couple herds of impala, along with the usual warthogs.

On the horizon, we could see two large giraffes.  Andrew said,  "Those giraffes are fighting."

Sure enough, through the binoculars, it was clear that these two big giraffes are smacking away at each other.   Some of you have likely seen the youtube of two giraffes smacking necks.  This was similar except the animals lowered their heads and whipped them into each other.  After a couple of good smacks they would pause and stand still for several seconds.  Then they would go at it again.  When we were leaving they were still going at each other.  

It is breeding season for many plains game.  The two males were battling for dominance.  They are very similar to us.  We moderns do it in a more modern and perhaps subtle ways, but we still battle. 

I was brought up in a very competitive culture.  We were engaged in sports, which are competitive by design.  And competitiveness seems a part of our fallen nature, both for man and for beast.

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."  Ja 4:1-3.

All of us need (not just needed) a Savior.  We need G^d's mercy and grace every morning.

"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness."  (Lam 3:22-23)

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