Animal Farm

Eew! I had to turn away and cover my eyes as animals being animals in their search for food was displayed on the screen.  We were watching Planet Earth, and I cringed as the Snow Leopard overtook the fleeing, swift-footed, gazelle-like prey.

The next day, I remarked to my husband as we were backing out of the driveway, "Look! There's a cat on the garage roof!" I wondered aloud what it was doing up there, when Howard told me it was after a bird!  Sure enough, a tree limb was bobbing in the wind, nearly touching the roof, and I could see birds twittering among the branches.  The cat was crouching and slinking stealthily along just as its wild counterpart had done!

Thankfully, we weren't there to see the outcome.  We were on our way to the farm to feed our domesticated animals. But just because they're relatively tame doesn't mean they have lost their animal instincts.  I found that out when I had ventured near the pigpen to watch "Porky and Petunia" enjoy the table scraps I had saved for them.

As I lolled over the fence in fascination at their appetite-driven aggressiveness with each other, I heard a flutter behind me.  Turning around, I met the ire of our huge, red rooster! He jumped at me with his claws (a good thing I was wearing long corduroys), pecked at  me with his sharp beak and generally scared the living daylights out of me!  Although I kicked and fought him off and Howard kicked at him, he still managed to make a blood-blister and bruise on my leg! He seems much tamer after his master's chastisement, but I am still wary of him!

On the way home, we were talking about their bestial ways, and especially the way the domineering male goat selfishly prevents the nanny from getting to the food trough until he is finished. "But Howard," I said, "people are the same way!" And it's true! Especially in today's world!  Bullying in schools, shootings, violence and destruction of property if someone doesn't get their way, and on and on, including disrespect for life in abortions and murders, disrespect of authority, and of our country.

The Bible tells us, "Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee," Psalm 32:9.

We live in a fallen world, but someday things will change.  Isaiah speaks of a time of peace called the Millennium when Christ will reign on the earth. "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf  and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

And the suckling child  shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They shall  not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea," Isaiah 11:6-9.

What a glorious time to which all those who are Christians can look forward!  Not only will we enjoy Christ and one another, we will see the animals in their beauty with no fear of danger or hurt!