This Is My Father’s World

“There is a signature of wisdom and power impressed on the works of God, which evidently distinguishes them from the feeble imitations of men – not only the splendor of the sun, but the glimmering light of the glowworm, proclaims his glory.”
– John Newton

Some weeks ago, my wife and I were getting ready for church. My wife came into the bedroom exclaiming, “The cats are going nuts at the slider door.” We do not live on the first floor, so I thought it might be a bird. But there were loud meows and so we decided to investigate. We opened the blinds and saw a kitten sitting on the railing of the deck. She was quite small and dirty. Rebeca went out to investigate. The kitten hopped down and came right to her purring. It was going to rain that day so we brought her inside. She wasn’t small in size, but her weight told us she hadn’t eaten in days (possibly weeks). Our examination of her began. Dirt and bugs covered her fur. After an hour long bath and brushing, we got the bugs off and once brown fur revealed to be white along with her brown tiger stripes. Matted fur was untangled and soft again.

As we put her in a box with a blanket, the little kitten curled up after some food and went to sleep. After sharing with vets and other people this story, we were able to piece together this kitten’s story. This little one was most likely abandoned at 6 months old. She had probably been on her own for 2-4 weeks. Shelters were full. We were told that she most likely would be put down if a home was not found in a short time. Then Rebeca looked at me and said, “Why are we going to let that happen to this kitten, when she did nothing wrong? Why punish her for someone else’s lack of responsibility?”

We tend to use phrases like that when it comes to the issue of abortion. But, I had never connected it with an animal’s life. Yes, a human life is more valuable than an animal’s life, but can that phrase connect to animal life? These thoughts led me to search out what is the Christian’s life in relation to animals. Not only that, but what is the Christian and environment have to do with each other. Animal rights and the environment are hot button political and social issues in our culture today.

But the question must be for Christians, “What does the Bible say about animal life and the environment?”

A Quick Reaction is Not a Biblical Response

When most of us think about animals and the environment, some images come to mind. We might think of tree huggers stopping a company from cutting down trees. We might think of “Save the Whales” signs and cleaning up trash from the ocean. We might think of the ban of drinking straws or emotional UN speeches or marches for solutions to climate change.

We might even think of one political party or another. We might think of hidden agendas. We may look at the ban of drinking straws to help save the sea turtles, laugh, and then go by 100 straws just to prove a point. Or, we may shut down the issue as a liberal hidden agenda. A person may begin speaking about the environment or animals and we close our ears or throw out their ads or laugh at their commercials. These are not responses. These are reactions.

It may be possible that people are using the issue of climate change and animal right to hide an agenda, but we can’t think about that unless we have proof. That is a reaction. As Christians, we need to a biblically-based response.

Proverbs 12:18 says that a rash or reactionary word can hurt, but the word of a wise response can bring healing. Colossians 4:6 tells us to have our answers to anything be seasoned with salt and be gracious. This would include answering the issue of animals and the environment. Harsh reactionary statements turn away people. Thought out responses allow people to listen, and our responses can open the door to give the Gospel.

So what does the Bible say about the Christian’s relation with animals and the environment?

In the Beginning…

Genesis 1 has to be our place to start. Before we talk about the environment and animals, we need to start with verse 1. God is our creator. He created the environment all around us. He created the seas, the sunsets, the canyons, the fall colors, the cold snow, the high mountains. He created your dog or cat. He created the spiders, the fish, the birds, the lions, and tigers, and bears. Oh my, there is much more to creation than us. We tend to see the awesome creation of our favorite place or animal, but God did create those mosquitos too.

The animals around us, and the environment we live in and enjoy came from God. He is our Creator, and he is their Creator too.

Our Place to Work

When we finally get to Genesis 1:26-28, we see how we are made in God’s image and how we are to be fruitful and multiply. However, have we skipped over something? We are given the job to rule over God’s creation. We are to be his ambassadors on earth.

In fact, in Genesis 2:15 God puts Adam (specifically places him) in the Garden to look after it and work in it. The first job humans had were to take care of God’s creation. That is the first command in Scripture to humans. We are to look after God’s creation. We are not meant for another world as some people would say. We were never created for heaven. Heaven is temporary. We were created for the New Earth (Revelation 21). Our God given place and purpose are on this earth and will one day be redeemed and found on the New Earth.

The Idolatry of Mother Earth

However, you might be thinking, “I know where this is going. We are going to become tree huggers and animal right activists.” Again, that is a reaction, and not a thought out biblical response.

Many people who fight for the climate and the animals refer to the earth as Mother Earth and having this one planet for humans. While it is true that we just have what God has given us for this life, we must address the issue of Mother Earth. When people forget God is the Creator of all animals and the environment, they tend to worship at the feet of Mother Earth. When anything replaces God as Creator and Lord, that is an idol. When we get too focused on animals and the planet and forget our other God given responsibilities and forget Him, we are committing idolatry. So, taking care of our earth and animals is biblical; however, if we are not careful (like with anything) we can find ourselves worshipping at the feet of Mother Earth -just like we can find ourselves worshipping the sermons of Pastor Pillow or worshipping the Town-Crier TV.

Consider a Biblical Response

Matthew 6:26 and 28-30 calls us to consider various things in creation. We are told we are more valuable than these, yet God takes care of them. God takes care of creation, yet he has given it to us to be his ambassadors and stewards on earth. This goes back to Genesis. Just as who God is, we are to follow and steward what is important to him. According to Matthew 6, creation and the smallest parts of creation are important to God. Therefore, they should be important to us.

So, it is good for Christians to take care of the animals around us and be good stewards of our planet (Proverbs 12:10). This is our earth given to us by our Creator to showcase his glory. Is it glorifying God to let litter kill his creation? Is it glorifying to God to abandon our animals because we don’t feel like taking care of them anymore? Is it glorifying to God to let our yards over grow and not look well kept? Giving glory to God is found in every aspect of our lives, and not just in our relationships with believers and unbelievers around us.

However, we cannot get carried away. We must take care of our families and the people around us. But, it is not an excuse to neglect God’s creation. We must have a balance.

Romans 1:20 states that all creation points to God. Why would we want creation to be destroyed when it all points to our creator?

Now I am not saying let’s go protest and give speeches. But, we can take care of our environment and animals. We can help the abandoned animal. We can help shelters. We can lessen our garbage. We can be good stewards of the earth and all that is in it. This is not a government issue. It is an individual issue. When we see who our Creator is, we will want to take care of his creation that he has entrusted us with.

When we stop reacting to the political and social issues and political parties, we can see what Scripture says about these issues and align our actions with God’s Word.

Psalm 24:1 says the earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord. His glory is seen, not just in us as humans, but also in the creation and animals around us. He is their creator too. We marvel at God’s creation. Why destroy it with our reaction to political issues? Let’s go back to Genesis. Our first job is to take care of God’s creation as his stewards. God’s attributes and glory is seen from his creation. Let’s do our best that creation and our stewardship of creation can be a testimony to a dying world.

This is my father’s world
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres
This is my father’s world
The birds their carols raise
The morning light, the lily white
Declare their maker’s praise
This is my father’s world
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas
His hand the wonders wrought
This is my father’s world
Oh, let me never forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong
God is the ruler yet
– “This is My Father’s World” by Franklin L. Sheppard