Brandy and the Cat

My family had a much-loved dog, Brandy.

She would spend her days looking out the window while sitting on the back of our couch. She would bark at anything that moved; that was her job! Or so she must have thought. Anyone walking by, cars, bicycles, and any other critters that would enter “her yard,” especially cats, would be greeted with her barking.

This barking, however, was not appreciated by us.

I think Brandy’s teeth would itch whenever she saw a squirrel or especially a cat. She hated cats and would let them know in no uncertain terms.

One day, someone left the front door open just as a white cat approached our porch. Brandy saw the cat, snarled and barked, and zipped out the door before anyone could stop her. The cat, instead of running away, just lied down on the porch, seemingly unconcerned with the snarling dog approaching her. When Brandy got near, she did not know what to do. She finally had a cat in her possession, but the cat would not run away.

Where was the fun in that? She walked around the cat, sniffing and trying her best to show dominance over it, but the cat was unconcerned and did not flinch.

Finally, in exasperation, Brandy lied down next to the cat and made friends with it. This made me think about how we can prejudge others without taking the time to get to know them—just because they seem different from us. If we took the time to listen to their story and get to know them, we would think much differently about them.

God loves everyone, and we need to always keep that in mind and ask Him to give us His eyes and heart when dealing with others. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16, 17, NKJV). Dear Father, please give us eyes to see people as You do. Enable us to love as You do. Remind us that we have all sinned and come short of Your glory. May we help others to know You and to learn of Your great love for them.

Amen.

Sue Anderson