Thoughts have been rambling around in my head, Father. Mold them into whatever you deem fit to inspire me and others who would read these words. Amen.

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On my early morning route last week, I glanced into a yard off to my right and was surprised to see two American minks running towards a line of brush and trees. I thought, “Were those what I think they were? They were too small and trim to be raccoons, so with their sleek dark bodies, they had to be minks!” It was pretty cool!

They are beautiful animals, but I discovered that to enjoy them, you’d have to spot them in the wild. They are not good as pets in that they can be aggressive and with that, they have razor-sharp teeth. They are in the same family as skunks, and though their scent is not as potent, it still isn’t pleasant. They also require water and aquatic prey to be happy. So, they are not pet material.

From a purely human perspective, one other way to benefit from their existence is to catch them (or raise them in captivity) to take their fur, which in times past was highly prized but today is less so. Another byproduct Is the rendering of mink fat removed from their pelts. The oil produced is used in several medical and cosmetic products. It is also used for treating, conditioning, and preserving nearly any type of leather.

A lot of people probably have no problem with that part of their story, but I struggle with it. I’ve never hunted (in my youth with a small handgun, I tried to hit a target on a huge tree – I missed the tree!) and it bothers me when I hit any kind of animal when I’m driving.

So, here’s our lesson. Are we “consumers” of people? Do we just get what we want out of them, no matter how they fare in the long run? Are we guilty of using, abusing, and milking them for all they are worth, and think nothing of it?

Although many people do those things to others, that is not why God created the victims or the perpetrators. Be warned! God sides with the oppressed.

It says in Proverbs 22:22-23,

Don’t rob the poor just because you can,
….or exploit the needy in court.
For the Lord is their defender.
….He will ruin anyone who ruins them. NLT

How about Zechariah 7:9-10?

“This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ NIV

Jesus, Himself had this to say in Matthew 25:34-37a, 40,

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we (do all those things?)
“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ NLT

May we do to them as we would do for Him!

Sept 21st, 2022, Wed, 1:08 pm