Do you ever wonder why house cats can climb up a tree, but they don't know how to get down the tree? Animal expert and autism advocate Temple Grandin has a theory.

She claims, that at some point, mother cats teach kittens how to descend from a tree—just as they teach their young a great many other things that were once thought to be innate cat behavior, including how to hunt, bury their waste, deal with live prey, approach an unknown person or dog, and so forth.

Cats that get stuck in trees, the theory goes, are cats that were taken from their mothers before the lesson about getting out of trees could be taught.

That is just a theory, but we do know from scientific studies that a great deal of animal behavior is learned behavior. It's not just instinctual.

Scientific studies have been done on all kinds of animals—tigers, wolves, cheetahs, birds, lizards, fish, and even ants— and those studies show that animals learn how to be a particular kind of animal by watching, observing, and imitating their mothers, fathers, or other members of their animal group.

They learn by imitation.

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."  Matthew 11:29

You and I are encouraged to learn from Christ. How do we do that? One of the most impactful ways that I can think of, is to study His life through the scriptures. 

I once had a pastor who told me to start a relationship with Jesus by (first) reading the Gospel of John every day...for 30 days. I have to admit, it made an impact on my life in a powerful way.

When we compare our own lives to the life of Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, we recognize just how amazing He was as He journeyed here on planet earth (and still is, as He prepares a home for us in heaven). There is always something to learn from Jesus in the scriptures.

Have a great day and God bless!

 

Pastor Mike / The Open Word 

 

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