Rescue 1:1, Forget the Lip Service.

This post if probably going to be offensive to some people…but there’s something that’s been bothering me for a while now, when advocating for animals via social media.

It’s that person. The one that sees the photo of the dog just hours away from euthanization, or the photo of the dog that’s lost, or the photo of the dog that’s been so terribly abused that she needs medical help immediately– and writes in the comments “Praying for this baby”.

I’m not really sure what that means. Does it mean “praying” as in “hoping”? Or is the person really petitioning a spiritual deity to intercede on the dog’s behalf? Because, if it’s the first type of praying, that’s useless; and if it’s the second type of praying, it’s unnecessary.

The dogs who are in danger and in need of help don’t need a spiritual being to intercede on their behalf. They need PEOPLE to intercede on their behalf.

In less time than it takes to type “Praying for this baby”, that person could do something really useful and click the share button, or donate a few dollars to the rescue.

There are no divine miracles in rescue — just the practical miracles that result from hard work. People willing to do whatever they can do, no matter how big or how small. People who will step up and take action to achieve a goal.

So, a note to you pray-ers: If you want to pray, then pray. But praying doesn’t preclude taking practical action, does it? There’s more than one means to an end. Some of the most powerful stories in the bible are about people stepping outside of their comfort zone and taking action. The story of the Good Samaritan is one of them.

Luke 10:29

29  But wanting to prove himself righteous,+ the man said to Jesus: “Who really is my neighbor?” 30  In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jer′i·cho and fell victim to robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went off, leaving him half-dead. 31  Now by coincidence a priest was going down on that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 32  Likewise, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the opposite side. 33  But a certain Sa·mar′i·tan+ traveling the road came upon him, and at seeing him, he was moved with pity. 34  So he approached him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he mounted him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35  The next day he took out two de·nar′i·i,* gave them to the innkeeper, and said: ‘Take care of him, and whatever you spend besides this, I will repay you when I return.’ 36  Who of these three seems to you to have made himself neighbor+ to the man who fell victim to the robbers?” 37  He said: “The one who acted mercifully toward him.”+ Jesus then said to him: “Go and do the same yourself.”+

I suppose it’s possible that the priest and the Levite both prayed for the unfortunate man, but the Samaritan took action.

So, forget the lip service and get those fingers clicking!