Why I Love Animals So Much & Why I’m Vegan

My daughter once looked at me and said, “The only person that loves animals more than you, is God.” She might be right. My love for animals doesn’t even come close to the depth of God’s love for His creation, but it’s still something that He placed deep within me.

From the tiniest wild creature, to the pets curled up at on our lap, animals reflect the beauty and creativity of the God who made them. Scripture reminds us that not one sparrow falls to the ground without our Father knowing it (Matthew 10:29), and that He provides food for the lions, the ravens, and every living thing (Psalm 104:21, 27). Jonah 4:11 even shows God’s compassion for the animals in Nineveh, alongside His compassion for the people. God cares for them, so why wouldn’t I?

I’m often in awe of how intricately He designed both wild and domestic creatures. From the instinct of a bird building its nest to the gentleness in the eyes of a dog, each detail points me back to the Creator. Romans 1:20 says that God’s “invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.” When I marvel at animals, it doesn’t replace my worship of Him; it deepens it. Their beauty doesn’t steal my adoration from God, it redirects it straight back to Him.

That’s also why I’m vegan. Not because I think it’s wrong for Christians to eat animals, God gave us that freedom (Genesis 9:3; 1 Timothy 4:4). I’m vegan simply because I love them too much to eat them. When I look at an animal, I see a sentient being with feelings and emotions. I see a creature God formed with intention and care, not something I want to be a source of pain or suffering for. It’s a choice I’ve made out of love, not out of defiance.

I also don’t judge others who do eat meat. Just as Romans 14 reminds us, some may feel convicted to eat certain foods and others not to but in all of it, we do it unto the Lord. For me, veganism is a way of aligning my lifestyle with the compassion that God has stirred in my heart. For someone else, honoring God may look different, and that’s okay.

So no, I don’t worship animals. They are not my god, they are part of God’s creation. But because I worship Him, I can’t help but appreciate what He has made. Every wag of a tail, every song of a bird, every horse’s breath on a cold morning, fills me with awe for the One who spoke them into being. My love for animals doesn’t diminish my love for God. It magnifies it.