Urban Animals

Nearly every morning Dawn and I walk to Lion’s Park and around the lake.  As we enter the park, we are usually greeted by urban animals – squirrels, crows, and ducks seeking a handout – usually in the form of peanuts in the shell – from humans.    

These urban animals have acquired two characteristics that set them apart from those of their species outside of the park.  They have become dependent and weak. 

They are dependent in that they no longer seek nourishment other than that that is handed to them. 

They are weak because they no longer have the “umph” to forage their own.  It seems they would much rather hang out around the lake waiting for a handout than trying to meet their needs.  And when a passing human does not give a generous handout, the urban animals become defiant and somewhat aggressive.  Crows swoop down on those passing by; squirrels line the walkways and squawk their disapproval; ducks crowd the walkways and quack their indignation. 

As I watch these urban animals, I shake my head. Not only do I see dependent and weak animals, I see “us!”  Have we become “dependent” and “weak”?  Would we rather sit around waiting for a handout than do the hard work of trying to meet our own needs?  Have we become “urban animals”? 

Urban animals attend church but never study the Bible on their own.  Urban animals preach from behind a protected pulpit squawking their opinion without doing the hard work of studying the word of God.  Urban animals sit around quacking their indignation on a plethora of subjects and do nothing but make a lot of noise.  Urban animals fill our rehab centers.  Urban animals populate our welfare rolls.   

Well known psychologist Viktor Frankl (Man’s Search for Meaning) was fond of saying that a Statue of Responsibility should be erected on the West coast of American to complement the Statue of Liberty on the East. 

Yes.   Every individual has the right to food, shelter, clothing, health care, etc.  AND…AND…every individual also has a responsibility to try to meet their own needs.  The urban animals need to quit expecting a handout! 

The apostle Paul puts it this way ….

 

1 Thessalonians 5:14 -- Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 --Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”