Of Wildebeest and Men

(originally posted August 9, 2009)

I once saw a documentary on the Wildebeest migrations of the Serengeti plains where the activities and the movements of the animals were traced over a 1200-mile annual circuit. One fascinating point was the birth of baby Wildebeest along the way. A Wildebeest calf is nudged into a standing position and is walking in about 20 minutes. Within an hour, it must be able to run with the herd as they continue on their migration and to be protected from becoming the prey of lions. One hour from birth to living out its purpose as a member of a migrating herbivore commuinty.

Such short-term expectations of performance are not unusual in the animal world. It takes two hours for a white-tailed deer fawn to get up and begin following its mother. Robins are dependent upon the parents to feed and nurture them for nearly 4 weeks before they get pushed from the nest. And who hasn't enjoyed the one to two year development period of a puppy?

Human beings, as the Crown of Creation (see Psalm 8), have a much more complex preparation for their purpose, however. It takes 14 to 20 years to prepare a person for his calling, and if we take his image-bearing quality seriously, such preparation involves a whole lot more than feeding and clothing and mobility. It requires attention to the emotional, spriitual, intellectual, and creative dimensions of what we are. This is exactly why the education of a human being cannot be random, partial or haphazard. And it certainly cannot be for the mere purpose of getting a job. As we consider what it means to know the God of redemption, we will be more intentional and integrative in how we train and what we train for.