Local Suburbia Compassion

**Warning, some graphic details in this post**


So, are insects and rodents such as mice and rats considered animals? Or were they just created to be food for other animals? We know that bees are an important part of pollination. And we know that bats, who I consider a flying rodent, are important as they can eat up to 300 mosquito's per minute. But what about mice? And are they worthy of some sort of compassion?

One very early morning this past week I awoke to the sound of small squeaking coming from a mouse, who naturally made it's way into the house and thus inside a glue trap. In the middle of my sleep I didn't think much of it, until it was actually time for me to wake up. So when I arose from my slumber and still heard a faint squeak, I went to retrieve the little rodent. I brought the trap outside hoping maybe I could somehow let him escape from the clutches of the glue. Nope, didn't work. So by then I knew what I had to do to put it out of it's misery. (I'll spare you the graphic details on this one)

This little escapade reminded me of a life changing event that occurred when I was 15 years old. I was traveling down a local suburb road one day with my grandfather, we were on our way to his house to paint. The road was light on traffic on this particular hot summer day, as we traveled with the car windows down and a slight breeze in the air. A perfect summer day I thought, and then it happened!

Our destination was halted as we saw a small black and white kitten lying injured in the middle of the road, you could see it squirm as it squealed in pain. It appeared to have been hit by a car as the visibility of blood was present.  And not just blood, but some of the inside guts of the kitten were visible. All of this was not visible to the naked eye from a distance, so needless to say it was because my grandfather had pulled off to the side of the road that we viewed this poor kitten in this condition. As I stood there with a squeamish look on my face, my grandfather nonchalantly picked up the kitten and brought it to the side of the road. Mind you, my grandfather never gave it a second thought about getting his hands bloody when he brought it to the side of the road. That was his nature.. to just do it.

My grandfather then went to open up the trunk of his car to retrieve a rubber mallet. My eyes lifted way out of my eye sockets at the thought of what he was about to do next to that kitten. But he did it ever so gently though.

As we drove away, my grandfather explained to me why he did what he did. He explained to me the importance of grace, compassion, and mercy, and how to administer it to not just humans, but to all of God's creation. And then, as any other preacher would, he reminded me of the first and greatest example of mercy and compassion; that of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins.

One of the greatest events of my childhood I will never forget.

Lesson learned, Gramps. Lesson learned.