I've been sitting in my blue recliner gazing out the front window at the large eucalyptus trees and listening to the sound of the birds calling. They call it 'birdsong' though watching them in action, swooping and chasing, I think avian abuse is more like what they seem to be hurling at each other!
The butcher birds, now. They're not large compared to the crows or the magpies, but by golly, they scratch and chase and claw like mad things at other species coming anywhere near their territory. They're maniacs! I'm surprised we don't have a AFL footy team called the 'Butchas.' They risk everything to look after their own. [Addendum, actually, the common miners have form too].
In Luke 10:25-37, when the teacher of the law asked Jesus 'Who is my neighbour?', he was looking for a line to divide those we have to care for, from those we don't need to attend to. Jesus turns the question around in the parable of the Good Samaritan by making it 'who can you be a neighbour to?'
At the heart of Jesus' message is the idea that we can move beyond Hamilton's Rule, that we do not have to be driven by instinct or corporate memory or race or ancient feuds. Even the 'pagans' (the people most despised by the religious people of Jesus day) -- even they love those close to them. Butcha birds do that too.
When I consider all of the racial and social divides in our modern world and all the bitter and entrenched conflicts, where the children of the children of the original protagonists fight zero-sum battles raising angry fists against those who are 'other-than-us' -- the way of Jesus, the way of fully extended love is as necessary but as unpopular now as it was way back then.
This sort of protective behaviour, common to many animals, is has been studied and described as 'Hamilton's Rule'. It says that an animal is more likely to behave altruistically toward others that are close to it. Dogs are more likely to defend their own pups or owners before they defend others they don't know. Ants will give their lives for their own nests, but not for others, and as for Butchas, they take it to another level!
Humans are equally subject to this instinct, because our caring instincts are triggered more often by those we know and have a relationship with.So we are happy to acknowledge the wise words of Moses -- 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' It makes sense to look out for others in our family or tribe.
Humans are equally subject to this instinct, because our caring instincts are triggered more often by those we know and have a relationship with.So we are happy to acknowledge the wise words of Moses -- 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' It makes sense to look out for others in our family or tribe.
At the heart of Jesus' message is the idea that we can move beyond Hamilton's Rule, that we do not have to be driven by instinct or corporate memory or race or ancient feuds. Even the 'pagans' (the people most despised by the religious people of Jesus day) -- even they love those close to them. Butcha birds do that too.
"If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matt 5:46-48, NLT)
We should be recognised as God's children if we love even our enemies. Be perfect ('teleos', or fully extended like a telescope) as your heavenly father's love is fully extended even to, as Paul puts it, the very worst of sinners.
The reign of Jesus proclaims the barriers have come down:
"There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal 3:28, NLT)
How do we as followers of Jesus show this as we seek to be communities of faith, day by day, in our relationships and our neighbourhoods?