Defend-Ant

I killed an ant today.

It happened this morning. I saw the ant crawling while I was showering. I picked it up and squashed it. After I squashed it I said:

“Sorry ant, but you’re in my territory.”

But then I realized, what does that mean?

Am I, man, the type of creature who should defend his borders by death? Perhaps the man of today is. But I am different, I am a Christian man. Am I able to define myself and my borders by killing?

I don’t know. It’s a tough question. It may sound silly to you, but if you really think about this question, it’s pretty unsettling. Christianity is a faith that requires you to approach things the same from “top to bottom”. Kings are made beggars in the eyes of God.

Now, don’t misunderstand me, I don’t think we are ants before God. God clearly states we are the apex of God’s creation. But God made many other things, and in summation of all these things God said, “it is very good.”

What does this mean? Maybe nothing…but what I think it means is that we must allow our compassion and grace to flow richly and deeply through all forms of life.

Am I going to become a vegetarian? Let’s not get crazy here! But do I strongly support free range organicly fed and raised animals? Absolutely. But this isn’t even about that subject.

It’s about life as a whole. How we approach all forms of life and all types of people is an indicator of our level of faith. If we only value people, or certain groups of people, our faith doesn’t go “all the way down”, so to speak.

It’s vitally important that we always remember this because it is the chief appeal of Christ in the first place. Christ came for sinner and “saint” alike. We should act in the same way.

Hopefully I can find a way in the future to get the ants to leave my apartment without killing them.

Otherwise, unless they’re eating nice food, or really causing trouble, I say “let ‘em roam!”

Praise God!

Amen.