Be An Elephant
A couple weeks ago, I watched two short wildlife videos. (I am a huge fan of these.)
In the first video, an antelope was attacked by a cheetah, left to fend for itself as the rest of its large herd just watched. Especially with their antlers, they could have easily chased off the cheetah. But no. It wasn't them personally in danger, so they kept their distance. To Cain’s contemptuous question in response to God asking him what happened to his brother Abel, "Am I my brother's keeper?”, their answer would have been, “Heck no!”
In the second video, an entire pride of lions went after a baby elephant trapped in a small water hole. It’s mother frantically tried to protect her baby, but she was vastly outnumbered. When she chased off lions from one direction, more of them just continued the attack from another. She was separated from her own family group. But then, another herd of elephants rushed over, bellowing. They formed a protective circle around the baby while Mom freed it, chasing off the lions, who were smart enough not to be trampled to death.
Elephants are known to come to the aid of other elephants that are threatened like this. Hence, predators normally leave them alone unless they are vulnerable, weak, and (most importantly) detached from their herd, like this baby seemed to be until the other herd came in.
There is a lesson in this contrast, is there not?
In my experience, too often, Christians behave like these particular antelopes did when a brother or sister in Christ, whom they are in a position to help, is unjustly attacked. Truth to be told I have sometimes acted that way myself, much to my shame. We don't want to be targets ourselves. We may not mutely look on like the antelopes did (though we often do). We may just look away. We may even work hard to find ways to view the brothers or sisters under attack as somehow at fault for their plight, and hence not deserving of our help. "They brought this in themselves, they should have yielded, they should have gone along with those demands." We add our insults to the injuries the person is already having inflicted upon him- or herself. Knowing how common this is, those who hate Christians and Christianity are bolder to attack.
Thankfully, sometimes believers do rush to the aid of brethren who are under unjust attack, and whom they are in a position to help. Their aid may be direct, or via other people or organizations. But they do not just watch. They do not just look away. They do not blame the victim. They remember that the relationship among believers is like family, like being parts of the same body. They understand that as they do to others, they do to Christ. So, they sacrificially step up to help.
Moreover, they sometimes extend this empathy, and this aid, to those outside their herd, to those of other faiths or no faith at all. Why? They do this because these others are still fellow human beings, made in the image of God, even if they are part of a different herd. They certainly want others to embrace the Christian faith, but whether they do or not, they still care about their dignity and natural rights.
What should you, and me, do when we see folk under unjust attack, and we are in a position to do something to help, directly or indirectly? Be an elephant, not an antelope.
“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10)
“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)
