It has been awhile since I have last posted any of my thoughts. Basically because I have been lazy and somewhat in a depressed state; but something hit me in a dream last night that I had to share.
First let me give you some background to this dream. I had a conversation with my wife, prior to the dream, that I wished God would give me the gift of speaking to animals. I thought that it would be cool to get an animal's perspective on God and the world. So last night that gift was granted in my dream.
So here I was in some dense jungle sitting Indian style and across from me was this 800 pound, silver-back gorilla. He was munching on some fruit and we had the following conversation (Now imagine the voice of the gorilla sounding like Wallace from Wallace and Gromit.):
Gorilla, "First time I have ever talked to a human."
Me, "Does it seem strange to you that I can converse with you and understand you?"
Gorilla, "Well at first. But I have seen many strange things happen around me why should this surprise me?"
Me, "Well I am not going to waste your time with silly chit chat..."
Gorilla, "Thank you, I do need a nap later."
Me, "So I will come right to the point; What do you think about the world?"
Gorilla, "Hmmmm...well the world I know, and the world you speak of, are two different things. I know nothing outside this jungle, yet I am sure there is more because you don't live in the jungle yet you are here. You must have come from somewhere; so that somewhere must be in another part of the world. My world consists of others of my species, other species, food, rain, places to sleep and occasionally humans who think it some sort of sport to watch me all day long. Do humans watch you all day long in your part of the world?"
Me, "Some people do, but we consider that creepy."
Gorilla, "Creepy?"
Me, "Mmmmm...odd, out of place, strange."
Gorilla, "Ahhhhh, yes, then it is creepy for humans to watch me here."
Me, "Who do you think provided all that is around you? Food, shelter, female partners."
Gorilla, "Interesting question. I have thought about that before, while I was sitting and eating. I am sure it is some being who feels it necessarily to give me these things. I have never seen this being, but its presence seems to be all around me. I see trees grow and die, fruits ripen at the same time, just as the rains come, and I see many other animals who are not my kind. Some that run from me, others that do not. Every day is an interesting day filled with surprises and excitements. It is a wonderful place this being has created."
Me,"It is, unfortunately we don't know how to take care of it."
Gorilla, "We?"
Me, "I'm sorry, I meant humans. Humans don't seem to know how to take care of what we have."
Gorilla, "I can see that. I sometimes see humans take things from the forest that never come back. Trees destroyed, and animals killed. Why do humans do that?"
Me, "Because we want more. We are never satisfied."
Gorilla, "Strange behavior. I have everything I want right here. I never take more than what I need and I try not to destroy that which is not mine."
Me, "You my friend have it right."
Gorilla, "So humans are never satisfied? The being has not provided enough for you?"
Me, "Oh, He has provided plenty, but humans are greedy and wasteful. We just can't seem to get enough."
Gorilla, "You call the being "He". You know this being?"
Me, "I know Him through my heart. He is the creator of everything; you, me, the trees, fruit...everything. He is the Father....our Father. All living things are His creation."
Gorilla, "Interesting. Why is it that humans don't respect what this being has given to them?"
Me, "Free will."
Gorilla, "Free will?"
Me, "He has given us the ability to make our own decisions, even decisions that go against Him."
Gorilla, "I too must have this thing called free will. Yet I don't have the desire to want more than what I need. I have happy with what I have and on occasion thank the being."
Me, "I am fascinated that you sense a presence of someone greater than yourself, and that you are humble to your surrounds. Many humans just don't get it."
Gorilla, "I find it hard to believe that anyone doesn't get it. Just look around us! I seen marvelous, fantastic creations that I can't even begin to fathom how they were created and why they act/grow the way the do. I am provided food, shelter and comfort. Seriously...where do humans think this all comes from?"
Me, "Many know, they choose to ignore it. It's a sad world, full of worthless desires, broken dreams, empty stomachs and most of all....no direction. We strive for that next step, to satisfy our hearts, but it never happens. Many don't turn to the being, or who the humans call God, for satisfaction."
Gorilla, "I can imagine this being, God, is very angry"
Me, "He isn't angry, He is heart-broken. He cries."
Gorilla, "Ahhhhh, understandable because you called Him Father. A Father cries for His children."
Me, "Right."
Gorilla, "Seems like humans need to wake up."
Me, "Yeah........"
Gorilla, "Why are you sad?"
Me, "I am sad because I act out sometimes too. I am sad that I can't be a better witness for God. I am sad just thinking of the time wasted by humans for their constant search for empty promises when a greater promise is available to them. I am sad they are not more like you, one who sees the glory of what God can do."
As I finished my sentence the Gorilla stands up on all fours, yawns loudly. As he begins to walk back into the woods he stops and says one last thing:
Gorilla, "It is time for my nap. Do no be sad my friend and do not sell yourself short. Have you not just been a witness to me? Your conversation has enlightened me. Go and have the same conversation with your kind; enlighten them. Help clear their eyes as you have cleared mine. Hopefully then they will see all the glory that this being, God, has provided."
Chappy
Gorilla, "First time I have ever talked to a human."
Me, "Does it seem strange to you that I can converse with you and understand you?"
Gorilla, "Well at first. But I have seen many strange things happen around me why should this surprise me?"
Me, "Well I am not going to waste your time with silly chit chat..."
Gorilla, "Thank you, I do need a nap later."
Me, "So I will come right to the point; What do you think about the world?"
Gorilla, "Hmmmm...well the world I know, and the world you speak of, are two different things. I know nothing outside this jungle, yet I am sure there is more because you don't live in the jungle yet you are here. You must have come from somewhere; so that somewhere must be in another part of the world. My world consists of others of my species, other species, food, rain, places to sleep and occasionally humans who think it some sort of sport to watch me all day long. Do humans watch you all day long in your part of the world?"
Me, "Some people do, but we consider that creepy."
Gorilla, "Creepy?"
Me, "Mmmmm...odd, out of place, strange."
Gorilla, "Ahhhhh, yes, then it is creepy for humans to watch me here."
Me, "Who do you think provided all that is around you? Food, shelter, female partners."
Gorilla, "Interesting question. I have thought about that before, while I was sitting and eating. I am sure it is some being who feels it necessarily to give me these things. I have never seen this being, but its presence seems to be all around me. I see trees grow and die, fruits ripen at the same time, just as the rains come, and I see many other animals who are not my kind. Some that run from me, others that do not. Every day is an interesting day filled with surprises and excitements. It is a wonderful place this being has created."
Me,"It is, unfortunately we don't know how to take care of it."
Gorilla, "We?"
Me, "I'm sorry, I meant humans. Humans don't seem to know how to take care of what we have."
Gorilla, "I can see that. I sometimes see humans take things from the forest that never come back. Trees destroyed, and animals killed. Why do humans do that?"
Me, "Because we want more. We are never satisfied."
Gorilla, "Strange behavior. I have everything I want right here. I never take more than what I need and I try not to destroy that which is not mine."
Me, "You my friend have it right."
Gorilla, "So humans are never satisfied? The being has not provided enough for you?"
Me, "Oh, He has provided plenty, but humans are greedy and wasteful. We just can't seem to get enough."
Gorilla, "You call the being "He". You know this being?"
Me, "I know Him through my heart. He is the creator of everything; you, me, the trees, fruit...everything. He is the Father....our Father. All living things are His creation."
Gorilla, "Interesting. Why is it that humans don't respect what this being has given to them?"
Me, "Free will."
Gorilla, "Free will?"
Me, "He has given us the ability to make our own decisions, even decisions that go against Him."
Gorilla, "I too must have this thing called free will. Yet I don't have the desire to want more than what I need. I have happy with what I have and on occasion thank the being."
Me, "I am fascinated that you sense a presence of someone greater than yourself, and that you are humble to your surrounds. Many humans just don't get it."
Gorilla, "I find it hard to believe that anyone doesn't get it. Just look around us! I seen marvelous, fantastic creations that I can't even begin to fathom how they were created and why they act/grow the way the do. I am provided food, shelter and comfort. Seriously...where do humans think this all comes from?"
Me, "Many know, they choose to ignore it. It's a sad world, full of worthless desires, broken dreams, empty stomachs and most of all....no direction. We strive for that next step, to satisfy our hearts, but it never happens. Many don't turn to the being, or who the humans call God, for satisfaction."
Gorilla, "I can imagine this being, God, is very angry"
Me, "He isn't angry, He is heart-broken. He cries."
Gorilla, "Ahhhhh, understandable because you called Him Father. A Father cries for His children."
Me, "Right."
Gorilla, "Seems like humans need to wake up."
Me, "Yeah........"
Gorilla, "Why are you sad?"
Me, "I am sad because I act out sometimes too. I am sad that I can't be a better witness for God. I am sad just thinking of the time wasted by humans for their constant search for empty promises when a greater promise is available to them. I am sad they are not more like you, one who sees the glory of what God can do."
As I finished my sentence the Gorilla stands up on all fours, yawns loudly. As he begins to walk back into the woods he stops and says one last thing:
Gorilla, "It is time for my nap. Do no be sad my friend and do not sell yourself short. Have you not just been a witness to me? Your conversation has enlightened me. Go and have the same conversation with your kind; enlighten them. Help clear their eyes as you have cleared mine. Hopefully then they will see all the glory that this being, God, has provided."
Chappy
