The Beauty of the Strange

 

[the Lord said] “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?” (Job 38:4-11 ESV).

 

Pictured here is the Aye-aye (often misspelled Eye Eye). It is a primate, in the same family as chimpanzees, and apes. Some would say they are also in the same family as humans. They are omnivores and their life expectancy is approximately 20 years. The population of it’s native Madagascar consider it an omen of ill luck and unfortunately for that reason, the Aye-aye is in extreme danger of extinction, that is why today it is protected by law. Some say the Aye-aye is the ugliest animal in the Animal Kingdom. I can honestly say I find it strange, but would also find it a stretch to call it beautiful. And, yet that’s exactly what God says about it.

 

Job, to whom God is speaking in our reading today, is questioning God because of all the pain and difficulty he has experienced in his life. Job has had to deal with terrible suffering and tragedy, and he does not understand why it all happened. God responds with a poetic speech about the creation of the world. God is the one who created everything, including things that are so mysterious that we don’t even know how to speak about them. God reminds Job of this in order to both challenge and assure him. God challenges Job to be humble about his own knowledge. And God assures Job that he has a good plan, even though it may be hard to understand.

 

We are like Job in this way too. There are many things about God’s purposes that we do not understand. But God promises to provide for us and for the world he has beautifully made. The next time you see something “strange” would you remember that God has purpose in everything, strange or not. It is the belief in that good purpose that ought to call us to praise even the Aye-aye!