The Tie that Binds

What do The Crocodile Hunter, Storytelling, and Homesteading have in common?

Up until recently, these were simply three of the main driving interests in my life. I didn’t see the common thread that wove them together, apart from them being components that have shaped me. They all mattered, but when I discovered the deeper meaning, I have since been able to give them more attention as worthy pursuits.

I actively was seeking a central theme to tie my interests together, especially as I undertake this pursuit. And when looking for Truth, the best way to find it is to look to Scripture for answers. I found mine in Genesis.

I love reading the Creation account (and I hold fast to taking it literally). As I read, I can let my imagination take me deeper, and I can picture the events unfold as the Creator weaves our world together. His very hands formed everything we take for granted today - the skies with the stars beyond, the deepest oceans with creatures we can only dream about, all the animals that inhabit our globe, and the very laws of physics that bind everything together. This all led to the crown of His creation - us.

Mankind, made to be in God’s image, was made as the crowning achievement. We have been given the Creator’s aspects and the ability to directly commune with Him. While I believe that all of creation knows its Maker (the Psalms often call all creation and everything that has breath to praise the Lord), we alone have been given His nature and the ability to know Him well. And He has given us a grand charge in regards to His creation.

“God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.’” (Gen. 1:28, HCSB).

That is our mandate, commonly referred to as the Dominion Mandate. This applies to all humanity, and takes on a deeper meaning in light of Christ’s sacrifice. Though the world is fallen, Creation corrupted, we can work to care for this world and prepare for the ultimate Redemption and Renewal to come with His second coming. And here is the thread that weaves through my life and pulls my core interests together.

Since I was little, I was a huge fan of The Crocodile Hunter. Steve Irwin had a profound influence on how I see animal behavior and how to interact with them. I frequently revisit my DVD collection to watch his various adventures across the world. And though he did not speak of God (I sincerely hope he was a believer in the end), he had keen insight into animals’ incredible design. It is thanks to him that I’d rather pick up snakes than squeal, that I talk to every critter I come across like they understand, and that I like to sit and silently observe animal behavior and social structure.

I want to impart this same passion to others, though with the perspective of the created order. God has charged us to care for these animals. This doesn’t mean worshipping them or preserving them at all costs. Human life is still more valuable. But we can still aim for conservation, providing a space for animals wild and domestic in our everyday lives.

Go to a good zoo, where the animals are apparently happy and well cared for; ask their keepers the animals’ names and what their lives are like. Make room for wild critters in an increasingly modernizing world; you can plant flowers for pollinators, build a bird house or bat box, and be mindful of wildlife while driving. If you have your own animals to care for, do so to the best of your ability. Create a space for your critters to thrive.

As we are made in the image of the Creator, we have another role, which Tolkien in his essay “On Fairy-Stories” calls the “sub-creator.” We have inherited His love for creation, and though we are poor mimics, He still calls us to try. I share Tolkien’s love for telling good stories, though I am not yet at his level. Still, what started as little crudely drawn picture books of Morris the Crime-Fighting (and Hot Dog-Loving) Cat has morphed into deeper stories. I strive to catalog important tales from family and friends, and create a little world of my own, which I need to buck up and try to publish.

Even if you aren’t a writer, you can see the value in a good story as well. As you seek to create and enjoy good storytelling art of many forms, follow the charge in Philippians 4:8 - “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable - if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise - dwell on these things.” (HCSB)

Read good books. I can’t stress this enough. College nearly killed my love for reading, and I allowed it to happen. It wasn’t until recently that I made the conscientious effort to revive this passion, and I’m so sorry I wasted so much time to come back. Good movies and TV shows can add value as well, but I don’t think they hold a candle to the written word.

And don’t just consume. Be the sub-creator you were called to be. You can write, paint, act. But also share good conversations with people. Listen to their stories and tell your own. Listen to what other people are learning in their journey. If you’re in a public place, put down your phone and watch people in action. You might just find someone who shares a common interest with you. (Wearing a Starfleet Academy shirt has unlocked numerous fun conversations for me.)

The journey that has led me to homesteading has taken many twists and turns. I’ve grown a lot in the past few years. I have a number of critters under my care, and though they’re often challenging, they also brighten my day. I’ve been drawn into the sourdough craze, but there’s nothing like tasting what you’ve made and nurtured. It took a while for me to get a decently loaf of bread, but it tasted amazing!

I invite you to join the homesteading journey as well, but you don’t need to start a farm to do it. Remember the Dominion Mandate above, and try to focus your life on taking care of creation, as well as being a producer instead of just a consumer.

Pick something you use often and try to make it yourself. Make some salad dressing. Bake a loaf of bread (and it doesn’t have to be sourdough). Build a birdhouse. Your early efforts don’t have to be perfect. Don’t be hard on yourself if your loaf is as hard as a rock or your dressing refuses to bind. Your birdhouse doesn’t have to be pretty; the birds don’t care.

Just keep trying. Keep creating. Keep building. Keep observing. Thrive in ‘stead.