I was flipping through a bunch of old National Geographic Magazines the other day while I was at the public library. I came across an article about mountain goats that I found rather interesting. (I know I need to get a life!)

  What stuck me about the article was the fact that mountain goats live in one of the most dangerous environments on the face of the earth. One false move and the goats fall to their deaths.  The author of the article said that you would think that this would be the worst place to raise young goats since young goats are known for their romping and playing and jumping around. They don't seem to pay much attention to what they are doing or to where they are running and jumping. For them it is all about play.

   Fortunately for the young goats, nature has provided mother goats who are quite wise in the ways of their young. Scientists have discovered that mother goats dote on their young, and they enlist the help of other nannies to keep their young safe.  They do this by tending to their young always from the downhill side in order to block any falls. Mother goats are sure footed, very strong, and very good at "catching" the young foolish goats when they fall.

   Isn't that a great image of what God calls us to do for one another? Isn't that what we hope someone would do for us when we do something foolish and stumble and fall?  Furthermore, isn't that a great image for what Jesus has done and continues to do for each of us?  You can learn a lot from an old National Geographic!