After writing yesterday’s Blog, I started to think about the unique
personalities of God’s creatures, both human and non-human.
In reading the Bible, we become aware of the differences in the
personalities of various characters. There are no “cookie-cutter”
similarities in the people of the scriptures, just as there are none in
the humans and non-humans populating the earth today. We are often
reminded that no two snowflakes are alike; well, if you stop to think
about it, the same principle applies to humans and other animals.
To me, the Apostle Paul (mentioned in yesterday’s Blog) seems to be a
bit abrasive in his tone. Having said that, I admit that it’s easy for
me, in the 21st century, to criticize one who was up against so much
opposition in the early days of Christianity. It is easy to pick apart
another’s “style.” On the other hand, Solomon seems to have been led
astray by all his wives and concubines, a problem that Paul avoided
through his celibacy.
Christ gives us the insight to work around, and to see beyond,
personality and behavioral differences. We can begin to focus so that we
see people the way God wants them to be – not necessarily as they are
today – which is the only way that we can truly love God and our
neighbors, including other animals. We can’t force people into the
Kingdom of God. We need to love each other into the perfection of God’s
love.
