Flexibility and adaptability

STOOP TO CONQUER

Televised documentaries on leopards have concluded repeatedly that these animals have survived better than other big cats, thanks to their ability to adapt to new circumstances, including new food sources. They thrive in a variety of setups, whether in the wild or near populated areas. Their elusiveness and climbing skills save them from stronger predators like lions, hyenas, tigers and packs of wild dogs.

Leopards often stoop to conquer. Hyenas sometimes follow them at night in the hope of an easy meal. When the leopard does not have time to hoist its prey up a tree, it leaves the prey to the freeloaders, catches another gazelle, and stashes that in a tree to eat in peace. The leopard is smart enough to avoid fights over a kill, risking injury and impairing its ability to hunt successfully.

Leopards only fight with their own kind — for territorial rights. These fights often lead to fatal injuries.

We can learn from the leopard’s successes and mistakes. In today’s assertive world, people get into all kinds of fights, harming themselves and others. Diplomacy and negotiation depend on a give-andtake attitude. If negotiators are inflexible, they get nowhere. Strikes can linger on because both sides are too rigid in their demands. In the meantime, the public suffers because of the lack of adaptability of employers and employees.

When in dispute, we must weigh what we may gain against what we may lose. When the automobile market collapsed years ago, the workers chose to rather work for less than having no work at all.

When King David’s son Absalom organized a revolt against his father, David decided to flee from Jerusalem to prevent destruction of the city. His smaller army would meet the rebels in a forested region east of Jordan, where they could make use of ambush. David’s adaptability gave him the edge.

David’s son Solomon went too far in his flexibility. To keep peace with neighbour countries, he married their princesses — until he had 700 wives. When they asked for small shrines to worship their own gods, Solomon gave in to please the in-laws. Later his wives asked him to accompany them to their shrines, and so Solomon became guilty of idolatry. Flexibility should not become unwise peoplepleasing.

The inflexibility of David’s grandson Rehoboam led to the split-up of the kingdom. When people asked for tax relief, he obstinately decided to increase it. He lost 10 of the 12 tribes.

Regarding core principles of the gospel, such as salvation by grace alone, the apostle Paul did not give an inch. With respect to social customs of the time, such as slavery, he was more flexible. He encouraged good relationships between slaves and masters.