MORE THAN AN ANIMAL
By Jon Quinn
Is man an animal? Of course he is! There can be no quarrel with that. Man lives, eats, reproduces, breathes and sleeps. He is biological.
But the real question is: Is man only an animal? Or is he far more than just an animal? I believe that the way a one answers these questions is going to effect his outlook on life, on his fellow human beings and upon his own self worth.
One of the fruits of godlessness and materialism; of the idea that man is just a smart animal and nothing more; that he has no Creator; is the feeling that we are without purpose and that there is no such thing as right or wrong. Without a moral basis, how can a society control itself? Why should it? Why should its laws be respected? Why should there ever be compassion for its needy citizens? Why shed a tear over its passing? If man is only an animal, then the death of a man is no greater tragedy than the death of a fly. In fact, to the fly, its own death would be a far greater tragedy than the death of a man.
Our society is suffering the natural consequences of scoffing at the concept of a Creator, moral law and the identity of men and women as creatures in His likeness. Our nation's Declaration of Independence makes no sense if man is just an extra clever ape because its statement about being endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights would be a false statement. The motivation for the pilgrims coming to our shores would merely be a tragic blunder. The last verse of our national anthem would be a joke (look it up). Our pledge of allegiance would be a lie. The Gettysburg Address would be foolishness. The motives of our founding fathers would be misplaced. All this is so if man is only an animal and not a bearer of His Creator's image. And this is exactly what so many are saying about man today. And some believe it, or at least seem not to care one way or another. And we wonder why we are in the mess we are in!
I would like to share with you some reasons to believe that man is more than just an animal. Of course we could point out that man walks upright, but the family dog will also, at least for a few steps, if you hold up a bone in your hand. And we could talk about our thumbs, but some apes have the same mechanism. We communicate with language, but many animals are able to communicate at least a general idea of what they're feeling through using sound. Some animals even use tools (they do not make tools, but some of them will use what is already available). Of course, man is far superior in all these areas, but that still does not prove that man is more than an animal. He could still be only a very smart animal. If our nation is to be saved from ruin, we will have to do better than that. "When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him?" (PSALMS 8:3,4).
MAN THE SINNER
"Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God." (I JOHN 3:21).
This is an interesting thing to say about an animal, if that is all man is and nothing more. How many of us have never been condemned by our hearts? Oh, with some of us it may have been a long time because we have destroyed what conscience we at one time had. But there is something here that all human beings can identify with and with which no kangaroo or chimpanzee can.
Man is aware of moral right and wrong. A person who's conscience is functioning will find his heart condemning him when he does something he thinks is wrong. He is unhappy with himself, not because he may get caught, but only because he feels that his action is beneath his standard of conduct.
Interestingly enough, when a human being loses this sense through the abuse of his conscience, he does become more like an animal. "But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge..." (II PETER 2:12ff).
MAN THE WORSHIPER
"But as for me, by Thy abundant lovingkindness I will enter Thy house, At Thy holy temple I will bow in reverence before Thee." (PSALM 5:7).
If man is only a highly evolved animal, then he is certainly a strange one indeed! What other animal consciously gives praise to its Creator. What other animal seeks to order its life according to the will of the One who brought it into existence. And if man is the wisest of all creatures, and if God is not the Creator, then why is man the last of all creatures to find that out?
The fact is that man, upon observing the nature of things around him as well as exploring his own inner nature, is compelled to seek for answers as to why he exists at all. He is caused to ponder the One who brought him into existence. And since the Creator has revealed Himself to us, not only through the things He has made, but also through His written word as well as in His Son, our search for Him is much easier. Those wise enough to search will find, and those that find will worship Him because that is the way it ought to be! "The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His
commandments..." (ECCL. 12:13).
MAN THE PHYSICALLY UNIQUE
"I will give thanks unto Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well." (PSALM 139:14).
Of course, all living things are wonderfully made. We can read in such places as Genesis, Job, and the Psalms examples of God pointing to all of earth's creatures as evidence of His creative power. But man is the only one who recognizes it. The gazelle runs much faster than we do, but it doesn't thank
God for its legs. I would sometimes appreciate it if I had wings to soar away, but I do not. Birds do, but I doubt if they think much about it.
But there are many physical features that man possesses which make him different from all other creatures: his posture, his bipedal locomotion, longer legs than arms, comparative vertical face, prominent nose elongated beyond nasal bone, longer period of growth and several others. One scientist counted at least twenty-one things in which man was different anatomically from any and every other animal.
MAN THE THINKER
"Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the Lord..." (ISAIAH 1:18).
When is the last time you invited an animal to reason something out with you? How'd it go? There's the old joke about the man who was shocked to see his friend's dog beat his friend in a game of checkers. "Oh, Fido is nothin' special...I 'm usually the winner two times out of three." The Creator made all the animals with their own strengths and weaknesses. Man isn't much on speed or strength, man's forte' is his brain, which also fits the purpose for which God made man.
MAN THE RULER
"Thou dost make him to rule over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet." (PSALMS 8:6).
Man is located on every continent. He has been to both poles, the highest mountain, the depths of the sea, above the clouds and even to the moon. He has domesticated camels, elephants, dogs, cats, birds, horses, cows, pigs and sheep. He has found uses for the bounty of the earth. Certainly he has not always been wise in his stewardship, but no other animal can even compare with the rule of man.
MAN THE INVENTOR
"So Solomon built the house, and finished it." (I KINGS 6:14).
Reading the above context shows the inventiveness of man. The temple was built piece by piece at another location and then shipped to Jerusalem. Chapters 5 and 6 record the event and give the description. Oh, I am sure that animals helped too, but none of them were on the design committee. I doubt that they were consulted about how to do this or that. Nor did any of them stop to appreciate its beauty, nor the beauty of a sunset, or a painting. To behold beauty, whether the work of God or man, and say, "Behold, it is very good." is a trait that is uniquely man's and His Creator's. Man is more than just an animal.
