How Do They Know?

When I watched the Sandhill cranes in Nebraska and read about their annual migratory stopover along the Platte River, I had to marvel, "How do they know?" How do they know it's time to leave the warm southern areas for a cooler summer climate? How do they know they can stop off in Nebraska and feed on leftover corn? How do they know they need to fuel themselves for continued flight and the nesting period? How do they know when they've had enough?

Some of the behavior may be learned: Young cranes in the family catch on by watching older, experienced ones. But that doesn't explain why they would want, in the first place, to migrate or roost with their feet in the Platte or mate for life. (This assumes that we're sort of "humanizing" them with the qualities of motivation and choice!)

Part of the answer is that these cranes, and many other creatures as well, have an inborn pattern of behavior characteristic of their species. This is "instinct." It is behavior originating below the conscious level, so it is not necessary for the cranes to plan their itinerary as we might map out a trip, deciding in which motels to stay and where to eat our meals. They just know. How do they know? They just do.

There are some things that we humans "just know," too, although we don't probably call it instinct. St. Augustine wrote in his Confessions over fifteen centuries ago, "Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee." John in his gospel declares, "There was the true Light [Christ Jesus] which, coming into the world, enlightens every man." Or, "which enlightens every person coming into the world." (John 1:9 NASB)

There is a sense within us, put there by God, that there must be something beyond just "me and mine." People may be unaware of that urging within, try to deny it, ignore it, or squelch it, but that is to their own detriment. John continues, "He came to his own people, but they didn't want him. But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, he made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves." (1:10-12 MSG) Whether we acknowledge it our not, we yearn to become those true selves. Voltaire, the 18th century French writer and philosopher, said, "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." That is how certain the inner knowing is that would lead us beyond ourselves into relationship with the one who is wholly Other.

MaryMartha
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Read a related article: Just Travelin' Through

Scripture quotation marked NASB is taken from the New American Standard Bible; used by permission of the Lockman Foundation. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com