Proverbs 12.10 says, a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. I love animals, and we treat our little pets like fur babies. They're spoiled rotten, and they have no idea. Do you, Cammie? When I was a kid, I knew of some people who would be cruel to animals, and no one had to tell me to stay away from such people. I just knew that there was something wrong with them. But I had no idea that the Bible had texts like this one in it until I got saved and started reading it for myself, so that was my fault. So I may have been taught these things, but it just didn't sink in. Then later, as a teenager, I remember watching a documentary on serial killers, and I remember that one of the common traits of a serial killer was that when they were young, they seemed to enjoy abusing and even torturing animals. Now, that doesn't mean that those who are mean to animals are all serial killers, but it's just one of those things that's worth noting because of all the people I know who abused animals, I don't know very many, but I know a few, They're either dead or in prison, with a couple of exceptions. And even in those exceptions, they're living really messed up lives, unless they get saved and now they have Jesus. Jesus alone is the cure that will break the hold of anger, meanness, resentment, bitterness, or whatever it is that has a hold on such a person. God transforms us when we receive Jesus Christ as our own Lord and Savior. that we trust in His payment for our sin with His shed blood on the cross when He died. He was buried and then rose again from the dead bodily to conquer sin and death on our behalf. At the moment we receive that gospel message, believing on Christ, then the sinner, you and I, anyone who does so, is righteous in God's sight at that moment. Titus 3, 5, and 6 says, It doesn't mean that you won't eat animals for nourishment, but that you will treat them humanely while they live, when you have to kill them to eat them, then you do so humanely when the time comes. There'll be no abuse or torture involved. And I believe those of us who buy our meat, by the way, and that's most of us, should do the best we can to buy from sellers who treat their animals humanely. God even says in Exodus 23, 19, that thou shalt not see the kid in his mother's milk. He repeats this two more times in Exodus 34, 26 and Deuteronomy 14, 21. The kid would be dead, so why bother? Some have reasoned that the living mama goat might smell the seething of her offspring in her own milk and be upset by it, and that may be. I understand that goats have an intensely great sense of smell, but I think it was also as much for the sake of the goat owner who would take note of God's care for the animal and then showing it the respect of not seething it in its own mother's milk. That was the intended meaning or purpose, to set the tone and not just be a singular commandment. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. Now, I don't know any Christian animal owners or farmers who do not regard the life of their beasts So I hope I'm preaching to the choir here. But we are set apart as Christians, not only to be set apart for God, but to be set apart from the world and the wicked. So what does it mean when it says the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel? One 17th century writer named John Trapp put it this way, they suppose they show the wretches great favor when they do not for their pleasure whip them with cords. He was referring to the Spanish conquistadors treating the Native Americans the way they did. The wicked are self-centered, self-loving and self-serving and they become so self-consumed that they look on any charity as costing themselves something and resent doing anything for others that does not benefit themselves in some way. We should be the opposite of such people. We should treat others with respect and charity, and that includes the animals. And if your heart is truly right with God, then you will get pleasure in caring for others, including your little fur babies in your home.