(Proverbs 12:10) The righteous care for the needs of their animals.

When discussing Christian wisdom and living, we rarely emphasize the importance of caring for the needs of animals.

How many sermons have you heard on this topic?

Yet, when God created the world, he entrusted humanity with the responsibility of caring for and exercising stewardship over the earth and its animals.

During the flood, God instructed Noah to bring two of every kind of animal onto the ark to preserve animals.

When we live in a right relationship with God, we will treat animals—his creation—with compassion and care.

We provide food and shelter for our domestic animals.

In Proverbs and in the teachings of Jesus, we are at times exhorted to observe animals in order to learn practical wisdom for living.

For example, we are told to observe how the ants work and how God cares for the birds.

Job 12:7–8 tells us, "Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you."

The idea of God speaking to us through nature and animals is theologically called general revelation. The revelation of salvation contained in the Bible is called special revelation.

When we live as faithful stewards of nature and animals, we worship and honor God the Creator.

The Bible also describes God's future kingdom of peace through harmony within the animal world: "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat."

When we care for animals, we care for God's creation.

Mature Christians understand and integrate both general and special revelation into their lives, for God is both the Creator and the Savior.

Look at the birds!