January 29, 2016
Her Father’s
Zoo
Read:
1
Kings 4:29-34
The
righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the
wicked are cruel.— Proverbs 12:10
June Williams was only 4 when her father bought 7 acres of land
to build a zoo without bars or cages. Growing up she remembers how creative her
father was in trying to help wild animals feel free in confinement. Today Chester
Zoo is one of England’s most popular wildlife attractions. Home to 11,000
animals on 110 acres of land, the zoo reflects her father’s concern for animal
welfare, education, and conservation.
Solomon had a similar interest in all creatures great and small.
In addition to studying the wildlife of the Middle East, he imported exotic
animals like apes and monkeys from far-off lands (1 Kings 10:22). But one of
his proverbs shows us that Solomon’s knowledge of nature went beyond
intellectual curiosity. When he expressed the spiritual implications of how we
treat our animals, he mirrored something of the heart of our Creator: “The
righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the
wicked are cruel” (Prov. 12:10).
With God-given wisdom, Solomon saw that our relationship to our
Creator affects not only how we treat people but also how much thoughtful
consideration we give to the creatures in our care.
Father in heaven, when we think about the wonder and diversity
of Your animal kingdom, please help us not only to worship You, but to care for
what You’ve entrusted to us.
God is the real Owner of all of us.
INSIGHT:
There is a subtle but important difference
between intelligence and wisdom. Both of them are desirable; both of them
important; both require diligence and discipline to acquire and exercise.
However, wisdom is often considered the appropriate application of
intelligence. Knowing something is one thing; being able to act well on what
you know is another. As Solomon shows, intelligence can be demonstrated by
speech, but wisdom is demonstrated in both speech and action.
Source: Our Daily Bread 2016