“… and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.” Jude 1:10

Animal Instincts     

A baby giraffe was recently born in a zoo. He was six feet tall, and oh-so-cute. At birth, he plopped onto the ground, and after a couple of minutes, he stood on wobbly legs and knobby knees to nurse. He’ll be the darling of the zoo visitors for some time to come, just like all animal babies are.

What did that baby know at his birth? As far as I can tell, he knew he had to stand up, and he knew he had to nurse. Those things were instinctual. He will eventually know how to eat the leaves on trees, how to drink water out of a basin, how to mate.

The Bible calls wild animals “brute beasts.” Wild animals must either be left alone in the wild, or they must be caged so they don’t hurt anyone. As much as we love to watch brute beasts from a safe distance—and maybe wish we could cuddle the cute ones—it isn’t flattering to be called one.

Why are they wild? They live by instinct. I think we all know some children who we call “wild,” and, though certainly not always, it is often because they are allowed to live by instinct—without external or internal controls.

It’s a lifelong battle for us to develop internal controls and not live by instinct, or what the Bible calls “flesh.” Isn’t it easier and more natural-feeling to sit on the couch than to pull weeds? Wouldn’t we rather do what we’ve always done—gratify our desires, blurt out the words, eat the sugar, stay in bed a little longer, take a second look at something we shouldn’t, listen to gossip, and indulge a complaining spirit? Isn’t it easier to not forgive, to hold the grudge, to keep our money for ourselves, to turn away from another’s needs?

Oh, that our natural bent would be toward living a God-pleasing, holy life! Genesis 4:7 says, “…And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” And Romans 6:12 is very to-the-point: “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.”

Do not allow it to rule. You rule it. This is the battle. Choose to live God-pleasing and holy (1 Peter 1:15-16) instead of living by instinct like a brute beast. We don’t have to obey the instinct to sin, for “you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you…” (Romans 8:9).

“God—You who will not dwell in an unholy place—develop in us a hunger and thirst that can only be quenched by Your presence. Though You have made us flesh, our desire is to live by Your Spirit who dwells in us. In Jesus’ mighty Name, Amen.”