The Passion of the Crocodile-Hunter

A couple of years ago, on Sept. 4th 2006, the late Steve Irwin (better known as the Crocodile Hunter) was snorkeling when he was struck and killed by a stingray. While many things can be said of Steve and the exciting entertainment that he brought to millions of people while he was alive, perhaps he’ll be most remembered for his extreme passion for loving and saving animals of all kinds! And yet, while we remember Steve, the awesome things he did, and what he stood for, we can also reflect on Christ and remember his love and passion for us!

(1) Steve was so in love with animals that he even named his first child Bendi Sue, after his favorite crocodile (Bendi) and his favorite pet, Sue (a Stafford Bull Terrier). On the flip side, God was (and is) so in love with us, that he not only gave his first and only child a human name, but he sent him in human-form to live among us! (John 1:14, 3:16)

(2) Steve once said, “I consider myself a wildlife warrior. My mission is to save the world’s endangered species!” On the flip side, Christ considered himself a soul-warrior whose mission was from His father – a mission to save the world’s endangered souls! (Mark 10:45)

(3) Steve once told Larry King that he had received many painful bites and scars from parrots and that he was apprehensive in dealing with them. However, despite the pain and scars, Steve loved parrots nevertheless. On the flip side, Christ was betrayed, beaten, and killed by people just like you and me, and yet his love for us continues! Despite the scars and death, Christ gave himself for us. (1 John 3:16) Moreover, Christ continues to make himself available to us today, even as we continue to stumble and cause him pain.

(4) Steve believed it would be the “ultimate” if he were to die doing something related to his passion for animals. He said, “My number one rule is to keep the camera rolling. Even if it’s shaky or slightly out of focus, I don’t give a rip! Even if a big ole’ alligator is chewing me up, I want to go down and say, ‘Crikey!’ just before I die. That would be the ultimate for me!” “Crikey,” in Australian-lingo, is an alternative word to “Christ.” Speaking of whom, on the flip side, Christ considered death the “ultimate” thing to do for us – to give his life for us, even while we were sinners! (Romans 8:1)

(5) When Steve was just beginning his pursuit to save animals, he would take a tripod and camera and position it to capture himself wrestling crocodiles and moving them to safer locations. Alone, he would film himself doing what he was passionate about – and then he’d show his family the footage. On the flip side, Christ constructed a tripod (earth) and mounted a camera (earth’s inhabitants) in order to film himself doing what he was passionate about – loving and saving souls, even by death on the cross! Of course, the footage has been observed by Christ’s father (God) and discussed in God’s Word (the Bible), and you can partake in the incredible repercussions of this footage by becoming part of God’s family – if you haven’t already! (Romans 10:9-13)

If you would like more information about how to talk with God about joining his family, then please send me an email right away! (Brandonlewis79@msn.com) I look forward to hearing from you!