“The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest.” ~ Martin Luther
I saw a meme on Facebook the other day that caused me to pause. It said, “May you be treated the way you treat animals.” Now, if you know me or have read this blog, you KNOW that I love dogs! While dogs are my favorite, I want all animals to be treated kindly. Over the years, we have had various pets: large fish tanks, a parakeet, a rabbit, too many gerbils to count, and even a cat, and for a brief moment, before I made my family return them to the pet store, two rats! The fish, the parakeet and the dogs had long tenures in our houses. The others stayed for shorter times, but all were treated well.
Animals are created by God just as we are. God loves them even if or when we don’t. After living where I had to constantly be on the lookout for wild animals like rattlesnakes and javelina, I will admit that if I never see them again, I will be very happy. While I know hunting wild animals is sometimes necessary to keep the herd numbers in check and to provide food for some people, I don’t like the idea of hunting animals. But I will never condemn anyone for doing so. They are free to do whatever is legal. Now, I do get angry when animals are left to die in hot cars, or left outdoors with no food, water, or shelter from extreme heat or cold, or killed for trophies, or worse left for dead… to die after part of their body has been removed. I think that is the worst sort of animal cruelty.
However, although I have heard many horrible stories about the way animals are abused by so many people, I would not want the abusers to have the same fate. I certainly think they deserve to be punished, especially if they are breaking the law with their actions. But, as Christians, we have been taught to turn the other cheek… and pray for our enemies… rather than practice an eye for an eye. We should not want to harm anyone… even people who harm animals, creation, other people or ourselves. An eye for an eye is still practiced in some countries. My question is, though, “does it really deter people from doing bad things?” I doubt that it does. Our laws include punishments like incarceration, probation, community service, and in some states, the death penalty. “Do these punishments act as deterrents?” Obviously not, considering the overcrowding in jails and prisons. Yet, this is the system we live under and thus have to follow.
And, this is where Grace comes in. Grace allows us to step back and remember that every person… yes, every single person on Earth… is created by God and, therefore, loved by God. As Christians, we understand that God is unconditionally loving and forgiving, despite our human nature. I have no doubt that we test God’s patience continually! Yet, God still loves and forgives us! This is Grace at its finest! And, as the recipients of Grace, we are called to pass it on to others. That doesn’t mean that people should not be punished for the things they do that cause harm. What it means is we are called to treat them with compassion and mercy… and Grace, hard as that may be. I think this is what is meant by “hate the sin, love the sinner.”
Christians often pray the Lord’s Prayer, also known as “the prayer that Jesus taught us.”
(From the Evangelical Lutheran Worship book, ELW)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come,
thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
When we pray this way, we are called to practice it. I think Jesus included trespasses to remind us first that we are sinners who are forgiven, and thus, as his followers, are called to practice Grace. We don’t get to pick and choose whom we want to forgive. Grace is freely given to us, and it is meant to be freely given to everyone. It’s hard to do… that’s why it is such a valuable practice for us. And, that’s why Grace is SO amazing!
Grace Notes 