| Ephesians 4:32 – “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” |
Tonight, as I was watering our plants outside, I went to turn on the water hose. Near the spigot, there is a shutoff to the house. It is in a sunken box, dug into the ground. I was reminded of what I found there several months ago.
I had to work on our master shower, which had developed a drip at the valve. I pulled the lid off of the shutoff well. It was bright daylight, and I could see a rather large frog down there. He looked dehydrated. I thought this because he was severely wrinkled. The only way in was a tiny hole in the lid the size of my pinkie. He may have crawled in there as a tiny version of himself to escape danger, and grew too much to exit the same way. He had probably eaten all the bugs in the area. I reached in with a towel and freed him from his prison. I set him down nearby and let him be. He was in no hurry to run from me.
Often we find ourselves rescuing God’s creatures. I have thrown opossums out of our back yard to save them from our dogs (and so I could get some sleep and stop the crazy barking). We have nursed baby owls, baby birds. God gave us that job. Tend the garden. Care for God’s creation. Subdue the earth. Be the boss of all this. With kindness.
One thing I have seen? God’s creatures respond to kindness. Even the humans. Father in heaven, help us to be kind to each other, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
-Jeff Beall
