Why You Should Care a Rat’s Ass
The history between humans and rats goes way back. They did not get of to a good start at all. When explorers entered new territory they often attempted to farm the land in conditions they knew very little about. They often planted the wrong crops or the right crops at the wrong time. Rats added to their woes as they would often eat a crop even before it could reach the harvest. Later on rats invaded cities and yes to this day many rats are found in sewers. Rats was blamed and sometimes rightfully so for the spread of disease. There are places in the world where you can still get paid for every rat you kill. Some priest even did prayers in which they cursed rats as if they were not also part of God’s creation.
One Saturday evening I came close to cursing a rat myself. I was woken up by a scratching sound and sneaked up on a rat in our living room. My children were toddlers at the time and our living room looked like a war zone strewn with toys. I trapped the rat and attempted to kill it with a broom stick. Adrenaline took over and I smashed some toys in my attempt to crush the rat. I must have looked like a madman. Finally, I cornered the rat on a curtain railing and then…it attacked me! It jumped right towards me. To this day I cannot emulate the shriek of horror that escaped my lips when this happened. The rat got away and I was tired preaching the next day. I also began to wonder if rats aren’t perhaps evil.
But gradually rats are undergoing a moral redemption. Thanks to science. A myriad of tests done on rats made us to understand the human brain and disease better. Many of the medicine we use today, we have thanks to it being tested on rats. Rats even taught us much when it comes to socialization. Rats without parents were compared to rats with caring parents and gave is insight into how much better one socializes when raised lovingly compared to those who didn’t have proper parental love. Even altruism was discovered among rats. Some passed by chocolate to save a rat in distress. (I don’t even see myself ever being that altruistic!). There are rats being trained to sniff out landmines and cancer nowadays. They are considered a tasty delicacy in some parts of the world. It looks like the tumultuous relationship between rats and humans are changing because of all this. Even the upcoming COVID vaccine that we all pray for will in part be the result of the role rats played in it. We even have a rat to thank every time we see a talented teenage mutant ninja turtle chopping away at criminals. Maybe we should ask priests to bless rather than curse rats.
There are some people and things that enters your life in an unpleasant and inconvenient way. Things and people you did not invite and do not expect. Things and people that delay and disrupt your plans and seems to drain you. Like rats that ate away at the harvest and spread germs in unwanted places. I never had the desire to beat a human being to death with a broom stick but I would lie if I say a good wack didn’t sound like a good idea sometimes.
The Bible tells us to love, rule over and be thankful towards all creation. That includes rats. Yes even the less desirable and beautiful plants and creatures could turn out to have good and life-saving properties we need. The same goes for unwanted illnesses, tough times and obstacles we face. Jesus told us to love our enemies. That is difficult to do but it may become a bit easier when we remind ourselves that enemies in God’s hands could shape our character as profoundly and for the good as friends can.
To that rat I tried to kill in an uninformed moment of weakness: my sincerest apologies. I hope you recovered from my violent animosity that threatened your very life that evening. I deserved you jumping at me. I hope you lived to old age and that you now sit surrounded by grand children well-fed and in a place with just the right combination of warm, dark and damp you like. I did not realize your kind’s hidden gifts and important role. I am wiser now but still stand ashamed of my actions that fateful evening. Maybe no rat harbour resentment for me because of this confession. I have repented and I dread the thought of any of you smelling cancer in my body and not letting me know.
Are there any rats you once hated but now appreciate? Are their enemies in your life you view to one-sided? Have you been a rat in somebody else’s life, sniffing out landmines and cancer in spite of them coming for you with a broom? What chocolate do you need to pass by to help a fellow rat?
Gabriel J Snyman
November 24th 2020