Non-Reproducible Reproduction

Genesis 1:31
“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

Many of us can remember how, in biology class, we had to learn how different animals reproduce. Some give birth to live young while others lay eggs. But the thrip does it both ways! The thrip is a gnat-like bug that lives within decaying leaves and helps to break them down. The thrip has another surprise: it reproduces twice a year. The first time in the season, the female thrip lays eggs and all the thrips that hatch are females. But during a later mating period, the female thrip gives birth to living young who are all males and immediately ready to begin the typical life of a thrip. Researchers continue to study the thrip to find out how this strange birth-pattern can be of benefit.

But see what the researchers are really saying. They assume that this unusual arrangement benefits the thrip because they see no evidence of thrips struggling to survive. It is argued that those not fitted for the unusual birth-pattern died out long ago and only the fittest survived. However, this is really a hollow argument based upon circular reasoning and assumptions. Wouldn’t it be more straightforward to simply admit that the birth-pattern arrangement for the thrip is a good one and shows clear evidence of design? The problem is that to admit this would admit to a Designer and eventually the Creator.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I often forget just how creative You are, especially when my problems seem so great and no solution seems possible. Help me to have a strong faith that remembers how creative You have been in making the tiny thrip and to realize how much more You love me. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Notes:
“Researcher finds bug that lays eggs and gives live birth.” Star Tribune, Monday, April 3, 1989. Photo: Thrip shown on a finger for scale. Courtesy of OpenCage. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license.