Let Them Have Dominion

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Genesis 1: 26

The kids and I drove to a friends' ranch this past Saturday for the branding of this spring's new calves. Many family and fellow rancher friends came to help, followed by a big lunch provided by the host family. This will be repeated in the weeks to come, as each rancher makes the rounds helping his fellow "neighbors."

As we returned from the branding pasture, two horses in a different pasture adjacent to the house ran alongside the fence, "welcoming" us back to the ranch house as we drove down the lane. They were almost like little children excitedly waiting for Daddy to come home at the end of a long day. Then later, I was able to coax a motherless calf to allow me to pet her. She was a little wary, but she stayed fairly still and let me walk slowly up to her and pet her.

These animals, who are not pets in the traditional sense, have the interest and desire to relate to humans, even sometimes in spite of their instincts to the contrary. It reminds me a little of Isaiah 11:6,

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.