The Love Language of Bunnies
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34
Everyone needs a bunny or two, right? Lucy Chambers, contributing author for All God’s Creatures learned a lot about relationships and responsibility through two bonded bunnies.
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My daughter brought home a brown baby bunny from the feed store. “This is Lemon,” she announced. We had no experience with rabbits, but Lemon quickly became the center of our household. My office became his hutch. I subscribed to rabbit journals, and my Instagram feed was soon taken over by “bunfluencers.” We learned that house rabbits live best in bonded pairs, so we went back to the feed store and found Nimbus, a fluffy black-and-white spotted girl with a jaunty ear.
Both bunnies were precious, but they certainly weren’t bonded. The experts said we would know they had bonded when they began to groom each other. Lemon and Nimbus hopped around warily, then each hunkered down in a corner. I worried that I should have just said no to the first rabbit. Then things started to change.
Lemon approached Nimbus. She put her beautiful black-and-white head down like a queen, and he began licking her face. She sat quietly and accepted his ministrations, but when he put his head down for her to groom him, she just hopped right back to her corner.
Lemon worked hard to care for Nimbus, but she wouldn’t reciprocate. Many times, she wouldn’t even sit still for him to wash her face. Poor Lemon, we thought. He’s not getting the love he deserves. But he persevered. When I came in one evening and found the two bunnies cuddled up, taking turns grooming each other’s heads and relaxing, I felt the sense of peace that filled the hutch.
It struck me that God works that same patient way. I hop around taking care of my own needs, but He remains constantly present, offering His love and providing for me. He doesn’t stop when I ignore Him. But when I spend time loving Him in return, I am at peace. Like a house rabbit, I’m happiest when we’re bonded.
Somewhere along the way we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others. Martin Luther King Jr.
Almighty Father, Your desire for us has always been to love one another but we have fallen way short. Forgive us when we can’t seem to overlook skin color, age, genders or intelligence. Please don’t give up on us. AMEN.