“It’s just in my nature.”
But do you have to live by your nature? What if you can be better than your nature might describe?
I guess my question is what’s in your nature?
When we talk about “nature” in relation to ourselves, the word relates to what we are born with or what seems to be our tendancy based on our birth heritage. If the old argument about nature vs. nurture has any truth, nature refers to biological and genetic factors, while nurture refers to environmental factors and learning.
My thought? We can outgrow our Nature with Nurture. But when the chips fall, we often revert back to our Nature.
A management workshop back in the ’80s taught us to know who we are based on where we came from and how we grew up. (Nature) We may change and flex into other zones or styles that surrounds, but we always fall back on that foundational Nature.
Ouch. I’ve seen this time and again. In me, and countless others.
Can we ever be better than our Nature? Will that change stick? Or must we know how we will react more vigorously when push becomes shove?
I wrestled with dreams last night.
Black and white movie strips. Change the channel, then it’s something else in color. They were clear, hazy, rich, and downright scary. There were hundreds of channel options, but nothing grabbed my attention enough to stop awhile. Everytime I changed channels, the images would repeat. It was like actors in a production and the director was telling the set designers to change this feature, or that one, and try it again.
It is my nature to be inquisitive. But the dreams had no rhyme or reason.
I turned to scripture early this morning. Dreams are fairly common in scripture. Jacob. Joseph (Butler and Baker included.) Pharoah. And these are only in the book of Genesis.
Although the times and customs were different then, human nature is human nature. We often think of ourselves before we think of others, as in, “What’s in it for me?”
The Butler and Baker approached Joseph, known for his ability and calling to interpret dreams. He says:
“Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”
(Genesis 40:8)
As he shared the meaning of the dreams (the Butler is restored, but the Baker was not) his “nature” asked that they remember him in prison and help to get him out.
But remember me when it is well with you,
and please show kindness to me;
make mention of me to Pharaoh,
and get me out of this house.
(Genesis 40:14)
Josephs dreams endeared him to his father, but not his brothers. They were jealous of the attention, and the dreams did not put them into a favorable light. Israel (the father), told Joseph to go check on his brothers…
Look! Here comes the Dreamer!
Let’s kill him!
Throw him in a pit.
And tell Father a wild beast consumed him!
Whoa! What kind of family is this?
Brother Rueben, the eldest, held them back, and they simply threw him in a pit, celebrating their victory over a meal. Judah, the fourth borne, saw a tribe of Ishmaelites and said, “Let’s sell Joseph to them!”
I wish I could make sense of this, but consider their nature. The first four are borne by the older wife of Jacob (Israel). Her name is Leah. Jacob loved Rachel but was deceived into marrying the older sister. Seven years later he marries Rachel also. Different times. Different customs. Different natures due to the times and customs.
After Leah had the first four children (Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Judah). , Rachel could still have not children, so she gave her maid (Bilhah) to Israel for the purposes of giving her children (Dan, Naphtali). Not to be outdone, Leah gives her maid (Zilpah) to Israel for the same reason (Gad, Asher). Then Leah had two more sons (Issachar, Zebulun) and then a daughter (Dinah). Now? It’s Rachel’s turn (Joseph).
12 boys, 1 girl, 4 mothers of which we know two were sisters (Leah, Rachel) and 2 servants (who knows where they came from but several commentaries identify them as concubines).
Since Rachel was favored by Israel (Jacob), it is any surprise that he was focused on differently?
What a world! Are we surprised any differently at what happens in the world around us?
At The Heart of Nature
This morning, our oldest German Shepherd attacked our oldest dog. Nukka. English Shepherd. Both can be vicious with each other, but 50 lbs separate the two, and age must be factored into the equation – the younger is four years old, and the older is fourteen.
Though they came from different states, and who knows exactly how they were treated and raised until adoption, they’ve both been in our laps, riden in the car, fed by hand, loved and cared for during the good times and bad. Yet, they’ve each had human interactions that are different based on their actions.
What is their nature? We’ve nurtured them, but something is at the base of their DNA heritage.
Yes. All dogs come from wolves.
Think about what’s hidden in a dog’s “nature.” Chewey is our Alpha Female and has produced 17 pups in a year’s time. Gunny is the Alpha Male, and has fathered 17 pups in a years time. We have two of their pups, and several live in our neighborhood so we get to see their nature at work.
But every so often, a new nature shows up. Growling. Flashing Teeth. Howling. Submission. Dominant personality even in the one who just submitted. There has been a time or two of blood drawn by an incissor…
I’m reminded of videos showing wolves quarrling with each other when their prey is being feasted on by their den mates.
What do I do? Fuss. Fume. Corral. Punish with words and sometimes with action.
Nature slips in and you can see it coming. Reality? I don’t want to be in the middle of teeth! But I will, and I do, step in to squash the moment. That’s my nature. I’m not a den pack animal. I’m a loner.
Ouch! That hurts.
To realize who and what you are while others are acting out. But ask my family. I like being in a group. Talking with friends and strangers. But when I’m done, I need to head back home to regain my strength because it takes a lot out of me…
Okay… I’m stopping here. It’s beginning to look like a chapter in a book.
Suffice it to say. We may not know our nature until something overrides our nurture. And that’s a fearful revelation.
Thank you for reading.
Please share with others.
It helps me get my book written!
(Below, you may find other topics similar to this one. Please read on!)