Lessons Learned from Animal Courtship

In present society, the female does at times take the initiative in courtship but still  the male in the majority of cases continues to be the active one. Biologically the sperm of the male is unlimited in comparison to the ovum of the female.  So begins an article in the Kyeongyang magazine on the courtship ways of animals by a father of three children who works in a diocesan family ministry.

The male more than the female  is  concerned with competition and interested in his own world. Consequently, he  doesn't like to be compared with others. 

In the animal kingdom it is similar but examining the ways is of great interest.

The female hedgehog protects herself with her quills. The male is not deterred by the quills and when it mounts the female he is speared with the  quills and with the front paws caresses the female. The female desists from its guard-like stance and refrains from using her quills and they become a pair.

The Peacock shows off its beauty of its tail feathers and without them, the chances of finding a mate are greatly reduced. Prairie dogs win their mates by frequent jumping.  Scorpions dance before their mate. Crocodiles serenade their mate, barely audible, and in the spot you see bubbles rising. Male penguins prepare their nest and present a pebble to the female as their courtship present. The Red female  spider is much larger than the male and often is under the illusion that the male is her food. The male knowing this is willing to court the female. And he bravely undergoes death knowing that he is preparing  food for the new baby spiders.

The animal kingdom has given our writer much to think about as he continues his article and shows us what he has learned. Like the hedgehog has he  overcome the quills of his wife with understanding  and concern or instead  returned  his own quills. Like the Peacock has he been concerned with his appearance and been understanding for his wife's desire to look well.  Like the crocodile has he spent time serenading his  wife and going on a date. Like the penguin does he remember his wife with presents? 

He wants to be the first to approach, the first to console, the first to show love and to continue being a novice in his relationship with his wife. 

"Now, I will show you the way which surpasses all the others. If I speak with the human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have love. I am a noisy gong,a clanging cymbal" (Cor.13:1).