[VD: close up of a roan ferret sleeping on his back in someone’s arms. he holds his paws up in the air limply and sticks his tongue out. his tongue flicks in and out of his mouth as he dreams. /end VD]
So I was watching one of those cute animal-caught-on-camera moments, “racoon trying to catch snowflakes,” and I had a warm thought.
Imagine how many of these moments occur in the world that no human ever sees! Random animals randomly playing! Doing silly, cute, fun things that people aren’t around for! How many trillions of sweet, playful, funny acts by creatures have happened compared to the few we manage to spot or catch on security cameras?
But then I thought, “GOD knows. God and the angels see this kind of stuff ALL THE TIME. It’s happening EVERYWHERE, and God can see EVERYWHERE.” Like, can you imagine angels taking a break to watch what some playing foxes are up to? Maybe some messenger is really rooting for that one meerkat in the recent community dispute. I think Jesus looks down on mourning doves cuddling in a snowy tree out in the wilderness and smiles.
But every now and then, WE lowly mortals, by some rare chance, get to see one of these cute moments that remind us that animals have an understanding of love and play and silliness outside of just eat, breed, sleep, survive. And it brings us a little bit of joy, which makes the Father happy, too.
I think it’s one of many really precious and often unnoticed blessings God freely gives to all of us down here on Earth. These little glimpses of the complex web of joy present in His creation.