Biblical Perspective On Pets

If there is one thing that this pastor has learned it is that people love their pets. Most of my church members have pets that they love, and many are part of their family.  Being covered in pet hair is sometimes part of making pastoral house calls, especially if you sit in the pet’s favorite seat!

The Bible teaches that you should treat your animals decently. Proverbs, the book of wisdom, states, “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.”  This truly is a wise statement.  It does not mean your pet should expect a life of luxury, but that your furry friend should be treated kindly with its needs met.  God is concerned about one sparrow that falls to the ground.

The Bible does not discourage love for your pets.  In Second Samuel, King David was reprimanded with a pet illustration, the prophet telling a story of a man with a pet lamb who treated her like a member of the family.  There is nothing wrong with loving your pets.  As a child I prayed that my dog Benji would go to Heaven, and then cried when my cat Nero had to be put to sleep.

The Bible also teaches that animals have their place.  In Genesis, God said to man to subdue the earth and have dominion over all the animals.  In Romans, it talks about a generation that worships and serves the creature more than the Creator.  God never meant for us to put animals above people, and especially not before Him.  God should be more important to you.  Your family and neighbors should be more important as well.  Everything has a balance, and it is important that the leveler is the Word of God.

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