Three men broke into an agritourism farm near Poznan, Poland where they savagely attacked an ostrich named Zenek. The main attacker was one Lukasz, accused of beating the bird with a blunt object, kicking and dragging it with the wings and necks. It died a few days after that. He was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison for various offenses. In addition, he was mandated to pay compensation to the farm owner  and barred from owning animals for 15 years.

Righteousness is not what we wear like a garment to church once a week; it is demonstrating the nature of God to everything and everyone on a daily basis.

The laws of God are comprehensive, covering not only our relationship with Him but with other fellow human beings. Moreover, God’s word includes how to relate with our beasts and other created things. Take for instance the law regarding the Sabbath. It was not only the people that were commanded to rest, their beasts of burden also had that day free. The care of God is over all creation, and human beings who are His chief stewards on earth ought to show concern in all things. Both plants and animals are created for the use of man, but they must never be abused. Arthur Schopenhauer said: “Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he, who is cruel to living creatures, cannot be a good man.” Our text says that a righteous man regards the life of his animal. Righteousness is not what we wear like a garment to church once a week; it is demonstrating the nature of God to everything and everyone on a daily basis.