Being Human

What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.

- Psalm 8:4-5, NRSV

I watched another documentary yesterday through my Netflix subscription. The documentary was about the historical quest through archeology to discover the origins of humanity. I found it fascinating. I remember learning about Dr. Louis Leakey and his archaeological expeditions in Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania when I was in school. I still don't understand how they date these fossils and determine so much about the life and culture of ancient humans. However, I am grateful that there are people who commit their whole lives to the study of such things.
One of the things the documentary drove home for me is what amazing creatures human beings are. We are set apart from all other living things because of how we are made. We walk upright which frees our hands for use in other ways. This means that we eventually learned how to make tools out of stones. This helped us to chop wood and hunt animals for food. We also were able to control fire which increased our chances of survival and quality of life. We also are the only creatures to be able to reason and to create.
I was deeply moved by one segment of the documentary which talked about the discovery of a human leg bone from the very early period when humans lived in caves and were nomadic hunters. The leg bone showed signs that it was once broken and had healed. Now in other animal species, this would have meant certain death. Those animals who are not strong and able to outrun predators die. However, this human leg bone had healed. This could only mean that this individual was cared for by the rest of the community until he could walk on his own. They did not leave this weak individual to fend for himself. They helped him to heal. They helped feed him when he could not hunt for himself. They were compassionate for one who needed their help.
It is this one act, human beings stand out from all other species in the world. We are social creatures who have the power to heal and care for one another. Within us is the ability to be compassionate for those in need. In our actions, we can reflect the image of our Creator. In spite of our broken and selfish nature, God gives us the grace to bind up the wounds of the world in the name of love.
I hope you have had a great start to your week. Thanks for being a part of my journey!