Stacy and I love animals. Especially dogs.
Early every morning (during the week, I am
always the first one awake and downstairs
“toodling,” as we call it), I find a short video or
two of dogs doing dog things and I text them
to her, knowing that it’ll help her start her day
well. It also helps me start my day on a good
note. We love babies, too, by the way. So, for
us, the perfect combination is babies and
puppies. There is little else that warms our
hearts more than to see babies being babies
and dogs being dogs, especially when they
are together.
But there is more to this than simply
enjoying a video here and there, or delighting
in a precious child or in the companionship of
a beloved animal. When it comes to the little
things in the world, the things that are
innocent and most vulnerable, it is our
responsibility to be as gentle and loving and
supportive as we can. We are tasked as
humans to love everyone, of course. But
there is a particular emphasis in Scripture on
caring well for the defenseless and guiltless
among us. Each of us is precious to God, but
none more so than the tiny and innocent
ones. They are divinely beloved beyond our
ability to understand.
In Genesis 21, Sarah was prepared to
leave Ishmael—and his mother, Hagar—to
the wolves. Yet God intervened. God
assured Abraham (who was clearly
concerned about the fate of his firstborn
son) that Ishmael would be protected. In
fact, God said, “I will make a nation of the
son of [Hagar] also, because he is your
offspring” (v. 13).
Wow. Just wow. Even where we do not
see the need, or even desire that the need
be fulfilled, God provides. The heart of God
drives God to care for us all.
–Ricky