Along with human ‘intelligence’ comes a proportionate reprehensible potential for evil behavior, e.g. malice for malice’s sake. With our four-legged friends, however, there definitely is a beautiful absence of that undesirable distinctly human trait. While animals, including cats, can react violently, it is typically due to reactive distrust/dislike or necessity/sustenance. But leave it to us humans, with our higher capacity for intelligence, to commit a spiteful act, even if only because we can.
Perhaps such human nature may help explain why the city neighboring mine, as but one seriously shameful example, allowed/s an estimated 36,000 feral/stray/homeless cats to fester, very many of which suffer severe malnourishment, debilitating injury and/or infection. That number was about six years ago. I was informed four years later by the local cat charity that, if anything, their “numbers would have increased, not decreased” since then.
Their trap/neuter/release program is/was the only charity to which I’ve ever donated, in no small part because of the plentiful human callousness towards the plight of those cats and the countless others elsewhere. Thus, I was greatly saddened when told by the non-profit via email that their TNR program is no longer operating due to lack of funds and volunteers.
The city's municipal government as well as too many uncaring residents have done little or nothing to help with the non-profit cat charity. And then leave it to classically cruel human hypocrisy to despise and even shoot or poison those same suffering cats for naturally feeding on smaller prey while municipal governments and many area residents largely permit the feral cat populations to explode — along with the resultant feline suffering within.
Yes, yes, yes, amen! I would like to add that the Spirit is not just “Jesus’ spirit” but a distinct person. Jesus said the Father would send “another Helper” (John 14:16–17), and even, “It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you” (John 16:7). That shows the Spirit is more than an extension of Jesus—He is the Spirit of God who dwells in us and guides us (John 16:13–14).
As for people showing love or kindness without Christ—yes, non-believers can demonstrate things that look like the fruit of the Spirit. But Galatians 5:22–23 reminds us the fruit of the Spirit is uniquely produced in believers. The difference is that Christians live this way because of the Spirit in us (Galatians 5:25) and for the glory of God, not just human effort.
Along with human ‘intelligence’ comes a proportionate reprehensible potential for evil behavior, e.g. malice for malice’s sake. With our four-legged friends, however, there definitely is a beautiful absence of that undesirable distinctly human trait. While animals, including cats, can react violently, it is typically due to reactive distrust/dislike or necessity/sustenance. But leave it to us humans, with our higher capacity for intelligence, to commit a spiteful act, even if only because we can.
Perhaps such human nature may help explain why the city neighboring mine, as but one seriously shameful example, allowed/s an estimated 36,000 feral/stray/homeless cats to fester, very many of which suffer severe malnourishment, debilitating injury and/or infection. That number was about six years ago. I was informed four years later by the local cat charity that, if anything, their “numbers would have increased, not decreased” since then.
Their trap/neuter/release program is/was the only charity to which I’ve ever donated, in no small part because of the plentiful human callousness towards the plight of those cats and the countless others elsewhere. Thus, I was greatly saddened when told by the non-profit via email that their TNR program is no longer operating due to lack of funds and volunteers.
The city's municipal government as well as too many uncaring residents have done little or nothing to help with the non-profit cat charity. And then leave it to classically cruel human hypocrisy to despise and even shoot or poison those same suffering cats for naturally feeding on smaller prey while municipal governments and many area residents largely permit the feral cat populations to explode — along with the resultant feline suffering within.
Yes, yes, yes, amen! I would like to add that the Spirit is not just “Jesus’ spirit” but a distinct person. Jesus said the Father would send “another Helper” (John 14:16–17), and even, “It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you” (John 16:7). That shows the Spirit is more than an extension of Jesus—He is the Spirit of God who dwells in us and guides us (John 16:13–14).
As for people showing love or kindness without Christ—yes, non-believers can demonstrate things that look like the fruit of the Spirit. But Galatians 5:22–23 reminds us the fruit of the Spirit is uniquely produced in believers. The difference is that Christians live this way because of the Spirit in us (Galatians 5:25) and for the glory of God, not just human effort.