Page 28 - Dainfern Precinct Living 1 2021

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

NAVIGATING 2021

WITH A CLEAR HEAD

BY PETER STOFFBERG

ome 700m underwater, in oceans all over
the globe, there are strange fishes hovering
almost motionless, searching the waters
Sfor unsuspecting victims. They’ve been
doing this since forever without most of us having
the slightest clue of their existence. Then in 2004,
someone managed to photograph the ‘Barreleye’,
and it’s been freaking us out ever since.

It’s weird that the Barreleye has upward facing
cylindrical eyes. It’s also weird that it makes a living
by stealing prey from siphonophores (jellyfish-like
creatures). But the really weird thing is that while
its body is like any other fish, its head is completely
transparent. Its binocular eyes look out from behind
the protection of a clear dome allowing it to sneak PRO 3.5
up underneath siphonophores and steal prey from TRUST
between their stinging tentacles.
AND LEAN NOT
They are perfectly designed for their high-risk
feeding habits. (If you've ever been stung by a ON YOUR OWN
blue-bottle, imagine taking that hit in your eye). The UNDER
see-through dome protects their eyes and makes
the best use of the limited light of the deep waters. STANDING
The design makes perfect sense when you think
about it, but who could have thought it up?

This is a great reminder that even the most join us every sunday online @ 9h30 www.familychurch.online
educated experts have limited knowledge and
understanding. It’s like everyone else’s, is limited. Putting our trust in
a humbling thought, their noise clutters our heads and leaves us feeling
but it can also be overwhelmed and demotivated, unable to navigate our
comforting. Current lives with any sense of purpose.
reports and opinions
on world events We are not in control, but we don’t need to be. The
are overwhelmingly God who designed us certainly is. Maybe we could
negative. Bad news take inspiration from that fish and clear our minds of
sells, but the good the unreliable clutter of human opinion. What if we
news is that it’s chose rather to focus on God and His purpose for us
always going to be (Proverbs 3: 5-8)? He is the same God that raised
unreliable because Jesus from the dead. His knowledge is unlimited and
of the limitations of so is His power to bring about everything that He
human knowledge desires.
and understanding.
While it’s important If we trust in Him, we can spend our precious and
to assess information limited time on the things that we can change, and rely
and use it to make on Him to deal with those that we can’t. Humble trust
informed decisions, and obedience to His word, the Bible, will give us the
it’s pointless living peace and purpose we need to do our best throughout
under the oppressive the unknown of 2021.
control of the
opinions of ‘experts’,
whose knowledge,

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