The Demise of the Fittest

Today’s Reading:

• Psalms 1-2; 10; 33; 71; 91

Faith-Stretching Verse(s):

• The best equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. – Psalm 33:16, NLT

Thoughts:
The strongest and fittest still fall.

We’re used to thinking about the “survival of the fittest.” It’s inspiring to think that if we just grow strong enough, equip ourselves well enough, adapt readily enough and think intelligently enough, we will survive and even flourish.

But that’s not what is meant by the “survival of the fittest.” What is meant is that being strong enough, equipped enough, adaptable enough and intelligent enough will allow us to survive long enough. Long enough for what? To pass on our hereditary information to the next generation. Because if we take a quick reality check, the truth is that the fittest do not survive. The fittest die.

The Bible talks about the demise of the fittest. All of creation is vulnerable. All humanity is weak. A microscopic one-celled organism can invade our systems, colonize, and overwhelm us. The TSA as a system can vanquish 999,999 terrorist plots—but if just 1 terrorist plot succeeds, tens, hundreds and even thousands of people descend into the grave. The Secret Services can have a near-perfect record, but one lapse in judgment is all that it takes for an assassin to have his way. The survival of the fittest applies, at best, to DNA. On the personal level, reality demonstrates 100% of the time that we should be talking about the demise of the fittest.

When the fittest meet their demise, who can save them?

For an overview of this year’s blog, please see http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2011/01/why-do-believers-believe.html.