Respecting All Life: Why honor and respect should extend to every creature on earth.
The idea that all life should be respected and honored may seem like common sense to many people, but sadly, that’s not the way the world works. People disrespect other people every day, and the disregard continues with animals and even the planet itself—whether it’s clear-cutting forests or polluting rivers, we continue to take what isn’t ours without thought of consequence or reparation. But we shouldn’t just honor and respect every creature on the planet because it feels right—we should do it because God wants us to do it too!
How do we develop respect for all things?
Respecting all life can be difficult, but it is necessary in order to see the world as God sees it. To develop a sense of respect for all life, one must first come from a place of gratitude. One must also realize that without any other creature in the world, our lives would not exist.
The balance between tolerance, love, and compassion
In order to be able to provide tolerance, love, and compassion for others, we must first be able to give it towards ourselves. No matter how much we may want to show tolerance, love, and compassion towards others who are different from us, if we can’t do the same for our own selves then it will be difficult for us to provide that energy outwardly as well.
The sanctity of life
A deep reverence for the sanctity of life is a central tenet of many religions, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and many others. The Bible says all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the field; The grass withers, and flowers fall off. (Isaiah 40:6) The Qur’an says that God created life in order that it might exist with Him.
The significance of animals in Creation
Animals are not only a vital part of the ecosystem, they are an integral part of our lives as well. They have been our friends and companions for centuries, providing entertainment, love, food, work and even clothing. The time has come to recognize that we need them just as much as they need us.
Creation Reveals Creator
We are all interconnected, each person holding a piece of the puzzle that is our reality. We are a part of something much greater than ourselves, and we cannot neglect any part of creation without neglecting ourselves and others. God is present in every atom of creation, and when we fail to acknowledge this truth by respecting all life, we fail to acknowledge the Creator Himself. God created the world with love in mind, so there is no reason why we cannot return that love through our actions too.
