I recently had to set up a mouse trap and to be quite honest, it was so hard to do. Not physically, but emotionally. For years I’ve thought, “Who am I to decide if this creature has to die today?” I know it’s just a tiny animal, but it’s a living thing that is just trying to survive. I’ve always had a soft spot for animals, whether it’s the cutest puppy or the biggest possum you’ve ever seen. Take a scary one, for instance… alligators. Frightening. Deadly. Yet, fascinating. Remarkable. Same with sharks. Terrifying, yet amazing.
I have a neighbor that used to ask me to go hunting with him. It’s never going to happen. Can you imagine shooting and killing a deer!? Well, maybe you can. I have nothing against those who hunt, I just can’t do it. Again, who am I to decide when another living thing has to die? Especially creatures as beautiful as deer!
It even happens with insects like wasps, spiders, and moths, though. If I discover them in my house or somewhere nearby, I’ll diligently try to get them to a safe place outside… where they belong. Sometimes death is the only solution but not if I can help it.
I think this comes from my belief that all creatures have been created by God, and their (our) mere existence is an example of His beauty, creativity, and love for life. Why would I want to kill that? I can’t justify ending the life of something God has spent time creating and designing to contribute to the amazing, diverse environments of earth. I just can’t do it. Well, I CAN if it’s a wasp or bee stinging me, for example. Or a tick that’s trying to latch on to me or my dogs.
But you get my point, I hope. There’s just something to marvel at when a creature is out there doing what it was designed to do, and thriving in the world God created it in.
This post was originally going to wind itself around to human life, and my belief that people begin very early, like…. conception early… but I think I’ve said enough for now (haha). I suppose the post is more of a tribute to God, who’s creativity and imagination are qualities I can’t often comprehend. But when I see his creation in the form of animals and insects, I can thank him for it… and help those creatures live, even if it means strategically moving one from inside my house to outside my house. 🙂
-Out of the Wilderness
Out of the Wilderness 