Thursday, November 13, 2008

I Want to Follow the Way of the Zebra


I found out Sunday that Zebras are extremely smart.

Our sermon in church talked about how
wildebeests often go on their wild stampedes, and the leader of the pack doesn't always make the best of decisions. Because they are not very smart animals in their nature, the wildebeests all follow the leader wherever he goes—even if it's straight off a cliff!

Zebras, on the other hand, have intelligence. They can even walk just 20 minutes after they are born! The lead male of the herd usually stays in the back of the pack when these nomadic creatures are roaming so that he can protect the others, if necessary, from predators. The females and youngsters will flee from the danger during this time. These leaders protect those under them and would never lead their followers into danger—or off cliffs.

Zebras also have great hearing and eyesight and can even see well at night—comparable to that of a cat or an owl. And their stripes are like that of human fingerprints—each unique in its own pattern.

After soaking in all of this information, it didn't take me too long to decide that I would much rather be a zebra and follow other zebras than live the life of a wildebeest.

I mean, who would really want to be a "wild beast," anyway? For starters, there is that drastic appearance: uncommonly large head, overly shaggy mane, pointed beard and hideous horns atop that disaster of a facade.

No, I would much rather be a Zebra.

I learned that I also want to follow the Zebras. I don't want to live my life like all of the wildebeests who chase things that don't matter and end up running themselves off the edges of cliffs. There are too many temptations and struggles in this life, and I don't want mine to take that turn. It makes more sense to follow the Zebra.

A Zebra knows what it means to be a leader; Zebras know what it means to stand out for something—or for someone. After all, you can't have all of those stripes and think you are going to blend in with the crowd.

But the cool thing about those stripes is that they serve as protection against the enemy. When a large herd of Zebras is together, it is quite the challenge for lions and other predatory animals to distinguish which one to chase. They all kind of blend together to form a blobbish figure. So, taking this on an analytical note, that's how we can be as Christians. If we all act as Zebras and come together as one body in Christ, it will be much harder for the Enemy to overpower us. We will become one giant blobbish figure for Jesus, and it will be beautiful.

I want to follow the Zebra. I want to be the Zebra. The Zebra cannot be the Lord, but it sure can lead others to Him.

When the stampede begins, make sure you aren't running with those heinous wildebeests to the edge of the cliffs. Instead, go with the stripes—they will lead you to the Kingdom.

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