Last week my husband and I were blessed by adopting a golden retriever mix dog from our local animal shelter. Now, call me crazy, but this adoption marks the fifth animal that calls our residence home. She is now a sister to another dog, a very energetic labrador retriever and three spunky cats.
Call me a sucker for the lowly, but I knew this golden mix would fit right into our household. You see, this pooch has only three legs – two in the back and one in front. Instead of walking like a normal dog, she hops along from place to place.
I don’t know what it is, but I have such a soft place in my heart for disabled and in-danger pets. I just knew that I had to apply to adopt her.
Last summer I attended a presentation that was held by two local church missionaries that went to Guatemala to serve the people who live in the dumps there. During their presentation, one missionary told a story regarding a talk she had with a native. After talking a bit, the native was amazed that in America we have hospitals that serve only animals – and not a working animal like a cow that offers milk for selling, but instead pets like dogs and cats. Amazed, because where this native lived, there weren’t even hospitals for humans.
That really touched me.
How right that native was.
I wouldn’t think twice about taking any of my pets to the vet if they were sick, and wouldn’t think twice about the cost (well, ok, to a point). But, in comparison, how often do I even think just once about people who are in pain and in need of medical attention? Not very often I am ashamed to say.
I took a long time to reflect on that and my choice to serve animals more frequently than I serve people.
Am I really doing God’s work by seeking out lowly animals and caring for strays until their owners are found?
Should I be putting forth this energy toward God’s children instead of God’s creatures?
The Lord and I went back and forth with this for a few days. And of course the Lord’s answer was the same from the beginning it was really me who was going back and forth.
But what I came to the conclusion with the Lord’s support was that, indeed I needed to change my approach to caring for people like the people in the Guatemala dumps, but not to stray from the strays I find roaming my neighborhood.
A four-folded answer was then born from that.
The first and most powerful was that I felt called to use my spiritual gift of teaching to start offering classes to people concerning caring for the poor. God helped me find just the right study for that in Hope Lives. I offered this study to the youth and young adults that I serve at work with great response. And I look forward to offering more studies on this in the future.
And the second was not to be ashamed of helping animals. They too are part of God’s awesome creation. And in most cases the animals that I find as strays are animals of abuse and cruelty and deserve love and care just like people.
The third is that God has given me a great opportunity to meet people that I probably would never meet when I do find a lost dog’s owner. And from those meetings I have the chance to introduce them to God’s love (maybe for the first time) and learn more about their circumstances and am given a chance to pray for them. This hasn’t happened but twice thus far, but those two times I will never ever forget.
And finally, rescuing strays and caring for animals is something that my husband and I can share together. We rarely get the chance to serve together for the same goal. But every time we bring in a stray for a night, or a weekend, we work together to ensure the animal’s safety, health and welfare. So in a big way, helping animals strengthens my marriage.
I hope you all are given every opportunity to serve where you feel needed.
And in return for your efforts, you will be blessed.
Just as I am.
