Standing Together and Standing Alone
In addition to the amazing creations of God that we saw at the zoo on Monday, we saw some beautiful artwork made by people. These men were creating a mosaic, one 1/2 inch tile after another. We asked if they had designed it. One man answered with a smile, “No, if I had designed it, it would have been much simpler.”
We were also impressed with this fur rug that hung in the zoo area that has animals from South America.
When we first saw the flamingos at the zoo on Monday, most of the them were marching. First, the troop would head in one direction and then they would turn suddenly and go a different way. Who was calling the turns and the reasons why were mysteries to us, but it seemed to be obvious to them.
A few flamingos stood apart from the others, and these two were all curled up and standing on one leg.
It was bath time when we saw the flamingos again in the late afternoon. We marveled at the contortions they can perform.
However, even then, a few flamingos stood apart from the rest. We recognized some of them as the ones who had also stood apart earlier in the day.
Maybe we need to keep those flamingo behaviors in mind when we wonder why people do what they do. There are times to join in and do what others are doing, as long as those others are doing good things—banding together to provide aid for hurting people in a crisis, for example. At other times, we need to stand apart to do what Paul wrote about in those first two verses of Romans 12 that we looked at yesterday.
Homeschooling gives you an opportunity to help your children know which time is which.
Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God,
which is your spiritual service of worship.
And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may prove what the will of God is,
that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2