Giraffes say...

 Playing with our Noah's Ark toy, Jellybean takes out an animal and I make the sound for it. Lion says, "Roar!" Tiger says, "Grrr." Zebra makes a whinny. Elephant trumpets. Giraffe says...

 I have no clue and so I look at Jellybean and roll my eyes. He thinks this is funny so that's our new game when someone picks up the giraffe. 

 A giraffe is an awesome part of creation but because it does not have a recognizable sound attributed it does not make it any less valuable in creation. We just get to learn to appreciate it in a different way and take advantage of other senses in perceiving its attributes. 

 Kangaroos say...

 When we look at a giraffe with expectations of it making a sound like a monkey or behaving in a way like a horse, we err. Not only do we err but we miss its beauty and its uniqueness. We miss seeing what God's hand has done. 

 Rabbits say...

  I think of this when I think of my nephew. When he was small no one questioned my sister carrying him or looked at him differently. He was an adorable little tike and he met their expectations but as he grew, she would carry him in places when it was hard to get his wheelchair out. People would stare and some not only stared but made comments like, "You're too big to be carried." They missed the beauty of a mother willing to take her child with her even on snowy days when it meant more work. They missed meeting a child who is really funny, so easy to love, and never forgets a friend. 

 Platypus say...

  I think of this since we have started to get some stares for the tubes and equipment we have. On the rare occasion we do not have to drag in all the accessories, we just get a few stares because this older woman of one color has this baby of a different color. Mostly, he meets people's expectations because he's small and cute but he will grow and what if he still has to have a tube hanging out to eat or he is still flapping his hands when he gets excited or he grunts loudly and points at something he wants. What then? More stares and possibly comments. 

  Antelope say...

   But God says this: "But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” - Luke 10:29-37

 Mercy did not question why the man was walking alone. Mercy had compassion, not pity. Mercy reached out and took care of the immediate need then went beyond that to get the man in a place where he could stand on his own. Mercy presented a clear picture of God's love. 

 God didn't just pity us in our sin and under His judgement. He acted by sending Christ to pay the penalty for the sin but He doesn't just leave us alone after we are in Christ. He gives us the Holy Spirit to strengthen and grow us. We are not just living but thriving. 

 It seems we should not have expectations of which people get to be our neighbors and which should not. A neighbor is whomever God has moved into our path and the response to them is clear - show God-glorifying mercy. When we get to the things in life that do not meet our expectations or we do not fully comprehend, we need to remember one thing:

 Jesus says do likewise. 

 P.S. Just in case you are wondering what giraffes say, you can watch this informative video: What does the giraffe say?