“Don’t come between momma bear and her cub,” were the words from my Dad as he witnessed someone taking responsibility for my son in the presence of my wife. My dad often refers to my wife as “momma bear”. It stands to reason since female grizzly bears are quite possessive of their responsibility for raising their offspring, and they demand intense devotion from the cubs while instructing them on the course of survival. I’ve seen the Ursus arctos Horribilis (Latin for Mainland Grizzly Bear) manifest in my wife and dish out quite the scolding to perpetrator and son alike. Jesus takes his responsibility for his children very seriously too. (Pause for Thought: “Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly”—Proverbs 17:12. “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to the person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin’.”—Luke 17:1-2. What emotions do you feel when you think Jesus is responsible for your completeness in body, soul, and spirit? What questions do you have in regards to His and your responsibility in your relationship with Him? If you are a parent, how do you want your children to view and feel about your responsibility to them? Should/Do you feel the same way towards God since He is your heavenly Father?)
I’ve just finished a book on the history of grizzly bear encounters in North America. It’s amazing how many human-bear interactions are the results of the protectiveness of a she-bear for her cubs. Cubs have no fear of humans, and the she-grizzly is quit relentless in her efforts to keep people from hurting her cubs. Many accounts documenting a grizzly’s mauling and/or killing of a person, even after she has been mortally wounded, illustrate her tenacity and relentless effort to responsibly care for her cubs.
A mother grizzly will teach her cubs to avoid not only people, but also male grizzly bears. A male grizzly will kill cubs, so the mothers will go into season for mating. Many are the times, a sow grizzly will attack a boar grizzly larger than her to insure the cubs survive and avoid serious threat.
She is responsible to show her little ones where, what, and when to eat. Contrary to popular thought, grizzly bears don’t eat everything all the time. A grizzly will steer clear of a lowly skunk, and if they obey, cubs will not eat a porcupine because of the mother’s instruction. The quills will cover the cubs’ mouth, so they cannot eat the foods the mother shows her cubs, thus making the threat of starvation a reality. The mother will instruct the bear cubs to not eat and slow down during the winter, so as to reserve their energy (Sabbath?). A cub or young adult grizzly that tries to forage through winter, instead of hibernating, will starve to death. (Pause for Thought: “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’.”—Matthew 26:26-28. In what ways has Jesus cared for you? Your family? Has He let you down? In what area of your life do you want to trust Him more?)
Like my wife feels her reputation as a mother is on the line when people, including my son, see her taking responsibility for my son’s upbringing, Jesus’ feels His reputation is on the line, as our Savior, for His taking responsibility for establishing us with a place and position within His kingdom. The least we can do as His disciples (devoted ones) is obey Him. (Pause for Thought: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”—John 15:10-11)
