Skip to main content

Wolves, Packs, Leadership, and False Naturals


I recently read an article's title that caused me to think, "What could that mean for leadership in realtime?" I was not disappointed as I took some moments to reflect on wolves, packs, what has been shown in cartoons about them, and on the 'what ifs' of all I know about wolves not being true. Can you say, "epiphany?"

The subheading summed up the article quite well, "The idea that wolf packs are led by a merciless dictator, or alpha wolf, comes from old studies of captive wolves. In the wild, wolf packs are simply families." [Scientific America - Feb 2023]

Wait. Wolves in captivity or in a setup environment are different than those in nature? Hierarchy emerges when the same old members are the same old members in a closed community. Not unheard of as this is how cults make things work--authority is ... well now I have an open-ended question: is it needed or is it a false natural? A false natural in that if the group had a choice hierarchy may not be necessary. Alpha males/females? Un-herd of. We need to un-pack this more.

But in nature, wolves are found to be simply a family. Life is lived, elders are respected, but so is the understanding (expectation?) that the younger will go on to start their own versions of family packs.

What could this mean for the church? Well, one thought is that hierarchy isn't natural. It is a false natural. It only takes place when it is forced or an 'old study' is submitted to or imposed on a group. If there is a natural hierarchy, isn't God the head? God does give spiritual gifts for the betterment of the body, and while the head is important, it doesn't float off the body but remains attached as the body is essential to its purpose. What is the purpose of imposed or false natural hierarchy? 

So I have minimal conclusions, but several thoughts playing themselves out with hopes for a more true reflection of what God has created to find its order in Him. I do know I don't wish to be a part of a false natural or promote one.  

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

I Wish We'd All Been ... Left Behind

  Perhaps you have heard the group DC Talk sing the remake of Larry Norman’s’ song, “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”? There is something tragically deceptive about the lyrics though. As we sing along, we find ourselves participating in a couple instances where we wish we had been ready to be taken instead of left behind. But that is not how Jesus tells his side of the story. The words are inspired by Matthew 24:40-41. But let’s look more closely, shall we? MATTHEW 24:37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away . That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. ...
Read more

IN ESSENTIALS, UNITY

I just had a board meeting where I went over a study on the word "unity" and "divisions." The question that immediately came up was, "Well, Christians don't have to agree on everything...right?" My response went something like this, "Well, wouldn't we want to?" It hit the fan like a lead balloon, which is not at all what I had expected. I thought all of the other board members would be shouting, "Yes!" and giving me high-fives and chest bumps. Well, maybe not chest bumps at this age.  There were some other ideas, thoughts and opinions expressed, and I was like, "We just went over this study of like 25 verses that state we are to be unified and have no divisions among us. Why don't you get it?" Seems like I was the one who actually didn't get it. It wasn't that I thought my interpretations were wrong, the weren't. The question centered around their application. "How in the world are we to agree on e...
Read more

Start With The Second Coming In Mind

If you could only answer questions, “Yes,” or “No,” and couldn’t ever use the word “maybe” again, would it make that much of a difference to your life? Take a moment and read James 5:1-12--it is especially very interesting to read in The Message translation. So often we are told to begin with the END in mind. The END is whatever or where ever the certain project we are working on is heading until we say it is DONE. We do need to begin with the END in mind, but James has a different END in mind. There are several things the people have done wrong in James’ mind: laid up treasures in the last days,  kept back wages by fraud,  lived in luxury and self-indulgence,  fattened their hearts,  condemned and murdered people. When James tells the rich to “weep and howl” what is he getting at? What good does it do? What does “the cry of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of the Hosts” mean? What does it mean for "the wages of those abused by fraud...
Read more

Family Time Videos