The Stubborness of Cats…and Humans

 "Mom, I’m worried about Gabriel."

I looked up and across the room at my sixteen year old daughter.  Her forehead was creased, eyes clouded with concern.  I knew in my spirit this was a fear  I shouldn’t dismiss.  

"He hasn’t come home today.  I think something happened to him.  I heard a car hit something this morning when I was waiting for the bus and now he’s not here."

My heart sank.  Gabriel is the youngest of our five…yes, I said five…cats and most definitely the family favorite.  A three year old gray tabby, Gabriel is one of those felines that never lost his playful "kitten-like" nature.  

Sweet tempered, gentle and always willing to sit on your lap.  Purring loudly his contentment and love.  Gabriel is also stubborn to a fault.  We tried for over a year and a half to rein in his adventerous nature.  Keep him inside where we knew he’d be safe.  My daughter even collared him with a bell so we knew when he was under our feet as we opened the door.  Our efforts were to no avail.  Gabriel was determined to be outside so eventually we gave in to his demands.  Allowing him to come and go from the house as he pleased.

We live in the country on five acres.  The road runs along the front edge of our property. Past our extended driveway and yard to a marshy area with tall reeds and grasses that runs alongside. A dark and rainy night, I was going to have to take the car to the end of the driveway.  Hoping the light of the headlamps would be enough to illuminate the side of the road enough for me to see if Gabriel was there.  I suppose I could have waited until morning to go look for him but I couldn’t.  There was no way I was going to leave Gabriel alone in the dark, stormy night.

You know, we human beings are not unlike cats in some ways.  We tend to be selfish, demanding, and determined to do things our own way.  Never mind there is Someone bigger than us out there who sees so much more than we do.  Someone trying to show us a better way.  Someone who loves us, provides for our needs, and only desires the best for our lives.  Yet we prefer not to be told what to do.  The One watching out for us may try to point us in another direction, shut doors, communicate our need to listen to Him for years despite our defiance.  However,  He will eventually turn us over to our "foolish thinking " (Romans 1:28, NLT) if that is what we are determined to do.  

We humans are stubborn…like cats.

I found Gabriel by the side of the road.  He’d apparently come out of the tall grass and apparently enough into the road to be hit.  My heart broke to see him lying there, all alone.  If he’d only learned to stay within the boundaries we’d set for him, Gabriel could have enjoyed a long and healthy life.  He would have had so much to do and explore, other cats to play with, and a family who loved him.  Gabriel couldn’t see or understand the danger of being outside our plan for his life.

God sees so much more than we ever could possibly hope to comprehend about our lives.  His desire is for us to be in relationship with Him.  He wants to prosper us and give us hope, peace.  If we would only listen to His voice, we may not find ourselves out in the dark…alone, broken.  Dead in our sins.

We need to trust the One who knows the universe better than we do.  Trust His plan is better than our desires.  Be willing to submit to His authority, and stay within His boundaries.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path."  Proverbs 3:5-6 

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