Our young son took care of his goldfish very well. One evening, however, my wife and I discovered the goldfish was dead. When we told our son, he sat down and began to cry. My heart ached for him, but the experience gave me an opportunity to talk with him about the process of death. Later in the day, our son asked that we bury the goldfish. As we placed the goldfish in its grave, my son asked me to pray. We thanked God for the opportunity he had had to express love and care for one of God’s creatures, acknowledging what a good caregiver he had been. When I placed a tiny wooden cross on the grave, my son said with excitement, “Wow, Papa! That's so Jesus will know where we buried the goldfish so he can take him to heaven, isn't it?”
As a pastor, I know it is important for my son to comprehend the process of death in a way that is in keeping with his age and his understanding of the Christian faith. Whether the goldfish reached heaven or not was not as important as my son’s understanding that the creatures of the earth are God’s and that how we are the stewards of all of God’s creation, as God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over ... all the wild animals of the earth” (Genesis 1:26, NRSV).
Truly, we honour God by our loving care for what is under our dominion – His creation.
Do you care for God’s creation today?
Profile Background:(Written by Julio R. Vargas-Vidal – (Puerto Rico), except the unrecalled date/year of published time)
Prayer Response to this featured article:
Do pray that we would diligently value the creatures and tend this world that God have placed them in our care. Do pray that we’ll be good stewards of God’s creation.
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