Page 99 - Devotion Among Animals Revealing the Work of God

Selfless Devotion of Creatures Within the Family

safe distance. Having led the intruder away sufficiently, she takes off
and returns to her nest.
Scientists can in no way explain these birds' "injured wing"
89
script. Could a bird really write such a scenario? It would have to
be extremely clever to do this, since calculated pretense requires in-
telligence and skill. Also, the bird would have to be very brave to
offer itself without hesitating and let the predator stalk it. No bird
copies this behavior from other birds; this is an inborn defense
90
mechanism.
We have related here only a small fraction of the conscious, self-
less acts of devotion found in the animal world. Millions of different
species populate this Earth, each with its own defense mechanisms.
More important than these systems is the lesson they teach us. Is it
rational and logical to claim that a bird risks its life, consciously and
by its own free will, in order to protect its young? Surely not. The an-
imals we mentioned here are devoid of intelligence and cannot pos-
sibly possess feelings of compassion and mercy. It is God, Lord of
the heavens and the Earth, Who creates them with these qualities,
enabling them to act intelligently, compassionately and mercifully.
By inspiring these animals, God reveals His own infinite compas-
sion and mercy.

Insects Too Protect Their Young from Dangers

In 1764, the Swedish naturalist Adolph Modeer discovered that
parent bugs protect their offspring and care for them. He observed
that the female European shield bug, remains firm over its eggs
when predators approach, protecting them against the enemy in-
91
stead of flying away.
At first, however, many scientists did not want to acknowledge
that beetles cared for their next generation. Professor Douglas W.
Tallamy, an evolutionist expert on insect behavior, explains the rea-
son why:

97