To be a squirrel

I was returning home on Friday after spending the morning volunteering at the local RSPB nature reserve and I came across a grey squirrel by my path.

He or she suddenly stopped on a log used by children as a balance beam and momentarily stared across at me, allowing me to take a photograph before disappearing into the woodland, not to be seen again.

Grey squirrels can get quite a bad press can't they...seen as vermin.

Many people don't want them in their gardens stealing nuts they've put out for birds, damaging plants and also known to eat birds eggs when they come across nests in trees.

When I saw the squirrel, I was reminded that our Creator God created all living things and in Genesis 1, God called them good. God loved, and continues to love all creation. In the intricate detail, spectrum and tapestry of nature, God's love extends to even the smallest creatures like the humble grey squirrel. From the way they scurry through the trees to their playful antics, (often video'd and shared on social media for our pleasure and set to music), each squirrel is a testament to God's care and creativity.

Like us, the grey squirrel still needs to find shelter, to be able to eat and drink, and I am sure to love and to feel loved like all living things. Their existence is a reminder that every living being, now matter how small, is cherished in the eyes of the divine. Just as God provides for their needs, he also provides abundantly for us and guides us through the challenges of our own life forest with love, patience, kindness and compassion.

Let us not forget in our daily lives, that Jesus' love is for all, including those often neglected by society or disliked, for he loves and forgives. We know too that we are called to be preach the gospel to ALL creation (Mark 16:15), not just humankind, by demonstrating God's love in the world. The next time a grey squirrel crosses our path or enters our garden, will they find a welcome and be loved - for we are all precious in God's sight and valued beyond measure.

© Stephen Allen 13th Apr 2024