March 15, 2023 Weekly Update
Happy Wednesday Friends!
I stumbled across a neat nature story while pursuing a Good News website last week. A research study published by Queen Mary University of London demonstrated strong evidence that bumble bees learn from one another. The study argues that social learning and observation drives the spread of trends in bumblebee behavior. (I mean, I could have told you that!? Try eating a popsicle outside in the summertime near a bumblebee. Their friends show up fast!)
In the experiment, bees observed successful behavior in their counterparts and then repeated the behavior over and over. By watching and observing, the bees demonstrated that they had learned what worked, and avoided what didn’t work, when getting food or opening a box. Pretty neat! (Here’s the article: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/bumblebees-learn-new-trends-for-their-behavior-by-watching-each-other-and-learning/)
This reminded me of what it means to be the church. In our culture, we tend to think about life as individuals. But the church is a social thing, a body of believers. And when we gather, when we interact with one another, when we worship and share life with one another, we observe and learn from each other. That time together – especially during an intentional season like Lent – helps strengthen our faith and our relationships. Our church is nourished by every single person’s presence and contribution because we all learn and grow from life together! Like bumblebees, it changes our behavior. We grow in love, compassion, and grace because of our relationships with one another!
With spring around the corner, keep an eye out for bumblebees, and remember the power of relationships within the hive we call ‘church.’
Blessings,
Pastor Jared