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What has happened to humanity? Have we gotten so hardened in our hearts that we have become cold, calloused and cruel? Why are we lacking sympathy, warmth and compassion?
What do you see when you see a homeless man on the street? What do you see when you see a stray dog or cat on the road? Do you see a nuisance to society? Are these poor people and abandoned animals worth your time or your dime?
According to recent stats, Oklahoma’s unsheltered homeless population has increased by 15 percent in the past ten years and now there’s a national push to criminalize homelessness through tickets, fines and even arrest which will impact our state and cities with policies forcing the homeless to get mental help and banning them from panhandling. Even though I know there are some who suffer from mental disorders which may have contributed to their homeless situation, I seriously doubt most choose to be homeless. It is just a chain of unfortunate events that has led them to this situation. Surely we can come up with more constructive ways to help these poor souls than to punish them.
Just like the abandoned and abused animals that are being tossed out to fend for themselves in a cruel world that seems to have forgotten how to be kind, both animals and humans didn’t choose this inhumane lifestyle. Do you really think that any animal would choose to have to fend for itself or be captured and locked into a small cage only to be euthanized days later? In 2023, over 415,000 dogs and cats were euthanized in our nation’s shelters just because they didn’t have a safe place to call home. In 2016, it was one million killed because shelters didn’t have the community support or the resources needed to save them. All of this senselessness happens because some owners aren’t responsible and getting their pets spayed or neutered until it’s too late. Then they are overwhelmed with more mouths to feed so many fur babies are tossed out like trash and the vicious cycle repeats over and over again. Yet we claim these poor animals are the nuances and send them to their untimely fates, when all they are truly guilty of is their meager existence and wanting to be loved and cared for properly.
So again I ask you, what has happened to humanity? Why have we lost our love and respect for mankind and man’s best friend? What has made us “heartless and cruel” rather than “caring and concerned?” What can we do to restore our humanity before it is too late? How can we make a difference? I know the loss of humanity is a complex issue and there is no simple solution. However, if we stay in this unhealthy, ungodly mindset and manner will we even survive our own calamity? I believe the answer is no. Something has to change and that change begins with us personally.
God has always demanded order of His creation not chaos. He also wants us to simply love one another and do what is right. Yes, that simple task may be difficult at times but it’s still crucial that we keep our compassion at all cost.
God basically asks of His people three principles:
• To uphold justice and do what is right
• To love kindness, Him and all that he created
• To walk upright and humbly before Him We need to be reminded that many times Christ is in the things that you least expect – like the homeless person or the forgotten and abandoned animal. God often uses the little things in our lives to shape our character, test our faith and to grow fruit in due season.
Though we can only look and see what is on the outside, God Himself looks upon the heart. He sees our intent. He sees what’s really on the inside of us and knows what truly counts in the end. Life was never supposed to be all about self-love and fulfillment. Who cares if you have the biggest house and the nicest car if you never notice your fellow man in need. Life is supposed to be about the giving of yourself for God to get the glory from your story.
Mark my word, God is watching. He knows it all and sees it all. He even said in His Word that He “will render to each one according to their deeds…” So, what good deeds have you done today? (And not just the ones that benefit you.) Who have you helped that can’t help you back? Where have you given your time, efforts or means, for something that is bigger than you or me? None of us walk this journey called “life” alone. Everything we send into the lives of others comes back into our own lives. Call it karma if you like, but I call it God’s law of reaping and sowing. What you sow, you will clearly reap.
So what’s happened to humanity? Is there any hope for us? As I asked myself this question this weekend and pondered the plight of our present time, my opinion was pleasantly swayed.
All weekend long my phone rang with friends and complete strangers saying they had read my Paws N Claws newspaper article and/or my column last week, entitled “Shame on Me, Shame on We” and they were moved to do more and to help others. This helped to soften my heart toward those who need grace for their shortcomings as much as I do myself and to keep pushing on.
One friend called, thanking me for helping with a lost pup that we reunited with the owners on Friday. I told everyone “it takes a village” because this lady had stopped to get the dog out of the road after a semi barely missed it and then she had to chase it through businesses before she could catch it. Afterwards my coworkers babysat the dog half the day waiting for it to be transferred to the pound but instead its owners saw my post on social media and were able to call me and identify the dog. Amazingly I had stayed late working at my office Friday night as had my coworker in Eufaula, so the owners were able to come retrieve their lost pup. My coworker stated that when the dog heard their owner’s truck it literally went running to meet them. It was one happy reunion for all indeed.
Another sweet couple called to ask where they could drop off pet food for the pet pantry we are starting soon. They dropped off several bags of dog and cat food and also donated $20 that will go towards pound fees and fixing pups in the program. This warmed my heart even more that there is hope for humanity.
As I worked on our Paws N Claws rescue log sheets Sunday night, I printed off pictures of our recent pound pup rescues and more pictures of the kind people from our area and abroad who have stepped up to adopt or sponsor, and my heart softened a little more with all the happy ending stories and selfless sponsors who donated to help these poor animals.
Finally another reader called and said he’d read my article in the newspaper and he wanted to help with our Paws N Claws rescue program on a regular basis and he would be dropping off cat and dog food as well. Again, my heart released the harshness of humanity to recognize the healing of humanity is possible. He then told me that there are still good people in this world that really do care. As I felt the last bit of doubt and disbelief leave from my heart, I thanked him and hung up the phone.
What happened to humanity? It’s still here in the hearts of those who believe in the small things – the small acts of kindness. It’s still alive and well in a lot of us as we buy a meal for a homeless man or go out of our way to pick up that stray abandoned dog or cat and find it a loving home.
Humanity has been here all along, I just needed someone to remind me that we are making a difference, even if it’s only one pup or cat or person at a time. To some our small acts of kindness may seem insignificant, but to those who are the recipients of our love, they are momentous and lifesaving.
Please visit our Facebook page, Paws N Claws Eufaula and join us in making a difference in our community and in the lives of Eufaula pound pups and more.
