A man wrote to a hotel where he wanted to go for holiday and asked, ‘Could I bring my dog? He’s very well behaved.’ The hotel owner replied, ‘I’ve been operating this hotel for thirty years and in all that time I’ve never had a dog steal towels, bedclothes, silverware, or pictures off the walls. I’ve never had to evict a dog in the middle of the night for being drunk and disorderly, and I’ve never had one run out without paying the bill. Yes, your dog is welcome. And furthermore, if your dog will vouch for you, you’re welcome too.’ Solomon writes, ‘The godly care for their animals.’ Ever consider godliness from that perspective? Maybe you’re thinking, ‘This doesn’t sound too spiritual.’ Think again! ‘Every good gift…is from above, and cometh down from the Father’ (James 1:17 KJV). Many a grieving heart is comforted by a pet whose love and loyalty makes their loss more bearable and helps them to go on.
Did you know people with pets live longer, stay healthier, recover faster, and experience less depression? Who will ever forget the dogs on 9/11 as they searched through the carnage of the World Trade Center, howling in distress because they couldn’t rescue those who perished? And how about the skilled dogs that give sight to the blind and visually impaired? That sounds pretty spiritual, right? When God created our pets He said, ‘It [was] good.’ Why did He say that? Because they have the virtues of mankind without its vices. So let’s recognise them as a gift from God, be grateful for them, and take good care of them!
Josh 1-3, Mark 16
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