Giraffic Park

Our four-year-old grandson Caleb was flying a Lego rocket ship around. He said, “Mom, do you know who is piloting it? Pontius Pilate.” If you know your Bible, you get the joke. Little kids and animals help me laugh. Both provide ample evidence that God has a sense of humour. Have you seen a naked mole rat? Or a hairless cat? Or the proboscis monkey? This primate has a wobbly misshapen nose that hangs down past its chin. Scientists believe that the males with the largest noses attract the best mates. Maybe that’s why my wife finds me so irresistible.

The platypus is another amusingly absurd creature. I can just picture God designing the prototype as angels look on in wonder. “Okay, so I’ll give it a body with flippers, a little like a beaver. And then, why not a duck head, then have it lay eggs. That will amuse and confuse the humans.”

The first time I saw a tiny seahorse, my eyes widened and I laughed. I could just imagine God saying, “Let’s give it a long curly tail, the head of a horse and tiny baby fins. Oh yes, and the dads will give birth. No Gabriel, I’m serious. And this elephant. I’ll make her nose seven feet long and put fingers on the end so she can grab stuff.” Ha!

Perhaps the most bizarre creature I’ve seen is a giraffe. They grow up to 18 feet. But you can only see four of them. Okay, that was a bad joke. But they tower over the other animals, and half their height is in their neck. A giraffe looks impossibly gangly and awkward, yet it can gallop at 40 miles an hour without falling over.

It must be nice being a giraffe. Sure, your jokes go over everyone’s head, but everyone looks up to you. You’d make a great friend. You’ll stick your neck out for anyone. With that ginormous neck, the terrific giraffe surveys its domain there in Giraffic Park, eating from treetops. But that neck poses a huge problem when the giraffe has to take a drink. Think about it. In order to sip water, a giraffe’s 18-foot-high head must descend all the way to the ground. Its 25-pound heart pumps blood down the length of its necktie, and when the giraffe stands, that heart suddenly switches gears and pumps up against gravity. It’s an engineer’s nightmare. But though this startling change in pressure should cause the giraffe’s brain to explode, it doesn’t.

Turns out the giraffe’s blood vessels are uniquely designed with reinforced walls, bypass valves, a cushioning web, and sensor signals to moderate the pressure when the giraffe goes to drink. This complex system also keeps the giraffe from passing out when it lifts its head back up in the air. Just imagine how many giraffes blew their minds before this incredible system evolved. Ha! Or…perhaps the giraffe was designed carefully with love and blueprints and a grin and a twinkle. You know, my son’s room never seemed to clean itself when neglected, so it seems a giant leap of faith to think that creation’s stunning complexity is anything less than the work of a master artist.

The Bible says God spoke all things into existence. From galaxies to glow worms. All things were created by him, and for him, including you and me. And when he was finished, he was very pleased. All things were created for his pleasure. And when I look at Giraffes and duck-billed platypuses and elephants, I can’t help but feel that pleasure too.

And don’t get me started on the spider. Eight legs. Eight eyes. And a rope that comes out its backside. God has a sense of humour. Wow. The spider sort of makes my…head…spin.