Three Dogs And A Rabbit!

This past weekend, Kim and I were glad to have had our daughter Joanna and her husband Dan come visit. And along with them came their greyhound, Odin. As well, our son Nathaniel and his wife Sarah came for a few days, along with their dog (puppy), Pepper—and their rabbit, Lizzy! That meant, along with our dog Sadie, we had three dogs and a rabbit in our home! (Below is a pic of just two of them: Sadie & Pepper)

I do find it quite interesting that we as people, for the most part, love to have pets. For most of us it’s either a dog or a cat. (Our son, Jonathan has cats—to which I’m quite allergic.) Some have birds (of which I am not that fond!). And a few have rabbits or Guinee pigs, etc. And, it makes me ask, with all the investment of time and money a pet requires, why do we love having pets? You may come up with some other answers, but I come up with two: (1) God has built into us a nurturing instinct. We love to have that which we must nurture and care for. That is one of the reasons we have children. But it also includes why we have pets.  (2) Companionship. A pet brings a certain level of companionship—and we all love having a companion. In fact, for some their pet helps them get through times of loneliness or times of stress and difficulty. Somehow having that dog or cat or rabbit by one’s side, brings a level of comfort. At other times, it’s just nice to have them around. After all, who doesn’t love to be greeted by a dog wagging its tail when they step through the front door? 

On the other hand, we see from Genesis 2, that there is nothing like being in relationship with another human being. We are told there that all the animals came to Adam to be named by him, “But for Adam no suitable help was found.”  (Genesis 2:20) In other words, there was no true companion for Adam. Thus, God created Eve. And when he did, Adam exclaimed, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh….” (vs. 23) That is, “Here is one who is like me—one with whom I can truly communicate my deepest thoughts and feelings; one who will understand me as a human being; one who will work alongside of me in all things!” 

As much as I love my dog and appreciate the role our pets play in our lives, I believe God has created us to be first of all in relationship with other people—first of all with my wife and children, with family, with the family of God, and whomever he may place into my life. God has created us to relate to one another, care for one another, help one another. He has created us for true friendship and companionship with other human beings. 

Thus the words of the writer of Ecclesiastes: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.  But how can one keep warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 – NIV) 

If you have a pet, be glad for what they bring into your life; I’m not trying to downplay their role within our lives. But most importantly, let the people in your life—your spouse, kids, friends, etc.—know how much they mean to you. After all, each one is a gift to you from the hand of God.  

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17) 

Have a great day! 

- Pastor Tim Harris