Living in Australia, and especially in Queensland, we’ve all heard stories about our dangerous apex predator – the crocodile.
Huge, rough, scaly, and somewhere in the middle of brown and green, usually living in a swamp or murky river. Very few people would find these creatures something to delight in.
What you may not know about these creatures though, is that they are capable of forming relationships with each other, different species, and even humans!
Vladimir Dinets, a psychology professor at the University of Tennessee, insists that, while they may be ‘hard-scaled killing-machines’ on the outside, they are great big softies underneath; often seen playing, using soccer balls and even giving their friends piggybacks.
Whilst I’m not suggesting you immediately go and jump into a crocodile’s pond (at least without making friends first!), it is true that as humans we regularly observe people ‘too callous’, ‘too scary’, or ‘too unsightly’ to interact with.
Often our perceptions, and those perpetuated by society take precedence over the truth that below a tough upbringing, housing situation, or illness, these people have a soft human heart.
Made in the image and likeness of God, we are often waiting for someone to see past our appearance and bring out the joy within us.
This week I challenge us to press deeper into the life of someone who could use some joy; and even if we are snapped at, God never wastes good intentions.
For those of us who know we can be a bit like a crocodile, let us allow ourselves to let God and neighbour in this week, and focus on our soft heart.
God is good, all the time.
