Creation does everything the same way as it has ever since God created it, including the animals.  This is not the case with human beings.  Even though some things never change in the life of humans others do because God provides seeds of knowledge so we can develop things that have never been done before.  Adam and Eve lost their exceptionalism but in Christ we regain the exceptionalism that was lost.  This makes us part of a very select category in God's eyes.  This is not a mere stroking of the ego, but rather God's reality.