Dinosaur Brains

About 20 years ago I purchased a book entitled, “Dinosaur Brains.” Written for the business world it challenges readers to do things differently than had have previously done them.

Part of the premise is that the brain of a dinosaur was supposedly about the size of a walnut. (Not sure how anyone knows that for sure since there haven’t been dinosaurs around for a long time to prove or disprove this.) The theory is that a dinosaur’s brain was only developed to the point of coordinating instinctual actions such as eating, fighting or running. Some have contended that a dinosaur’s brain was fully developed at birth. In other words, they never got any smarter than the day they were born. Whatever abilities the dinosaur possessed were there from day one.

Diminutive brain size could be one of the reasons dinosaurs no longer exist. They really could only do what came naturally to them and did not have the ability to make adjustments. They got hungry and ate whatever was in their path. And if they didn’t eat it, they probably stomped it since some of them were about as big as house. They had no logic or reasoning abilities.

I suppose at times I’ve acted a bit like a dinosaur and only done what came natural to me. My behavior seemed right at the time but in the long run, it wasn’t.

I think God gave Solomon some insight into things like this. In two of his proverbs Solomon gave a warning about “dinosaur brains.” He said there was a way that seems right (or a way that comes natural) but it really won’t lead to anything but your death.

I think this may be why Jesus encouraged us to take His yoke upon him. He was inviting us to a different way of thinking and acting. This certainly was the motive behind his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6 & 7. He was giving a new way of thinking or a new way to reason things out. The old way was only leading to extinction. Jesus was offering life.

I don’t think any of us are different than the dinosaurs. If left up to our own instincts, we will self-destruct. But if we give our lives to God and take His yoke upon us, we will find life and life abundantly.

Always in Pursuit