An object lesson in loving your "enemy".
Dear readers,
It's with a heavy heart I write to you today. About six weeks ago, I told you about Simba the geriatric pussycat coming to live with us. This morning, just after eleven, Simba quietly slipped away. Whether or not pets go to heaven, I don't know for sure but I'd like to think that the little people trapped in fur suits that bless our lives will be waiting for us when we arrive. I'm reminded today of the story of the "rainbow bridge" and that thought brings peace to an otherwise saddened soul.
Simba and I were enemies from day one. And I knew exactly where I stood when it came to Wendi and the "boys". Boys first, then maybe me. I told you about his loathing for me. Simba never tolerated me, not one bit, until I changed. He'd occasionally let me pet him if nobody else was around and sometimes I'd try to pet him just to antagonize him. We lived in the same house, slept on the same bed, but Simba never that I recall slept on my side of the bed.
Something changed between us though. Maybe it was because Snot (his "bubby") died last December, I don't know. Maybe it was the things that changed in me and he could sense it. When I spent some time in Ohio last winter with the Mrs., he'd really warmed up to me and having him back home even though the time was short, was like having a bit of my life back and I'm so grateful to God for that time.
Because of Simba, I moved back into the master bedroom in the house. I put the television back in the bedroom so he could watch Animal Planet. Simba and Snot used to watch television and I have a zillion stories I could tell you about these two cats. They weren't pets. They were part of our little family.
That's not the lesson for today. What is, is a lesson about what Jesus teaches us about loving our enemies. Ba and I grew close this last six weeks. I let him have free run of the house even though it meant cleaning up a couple of messes. I told you about steaming him because of his asthma. I treated Simba the way he'd been treated his whole life. When I started caring for Simba instead of resenting him, I found love for the little guy. In essence, I loved my enemy.
It's a lesson that carries over to life with people. I have one or two enemies. I don't kid myself, there are a lot of people I used to know that just don't like me and that's fine. I'm talking about enemies. I pray for them. Not every day. But I do. I don't revel when bad things happen to them. It saddens me. Mostly I pray for their salvation. I think though, that having Simba here made me realize something and this is one of the most important things I've learned in a long, long time.
Hate is a powerful emotion. Hate causes anger; anger sometimes causes us to do things we normally wouldn't do. You can hate someone so much that no matter what they do, no matter how hard they try to make things right, you just can't get past the hate. I've seen the results of hate and they're never positive. I think that might be part of the reason why we're admonished in the Bible to do just the opposite; to love our enemies. Look at me and Ba. The only thing that overcame the hatred was love and in the end, I have the peace of knowing his last days and hours were comfortable. He was warm, caressed, held, and loved until he took his last breath. I held him some last night and Miss June held him from midnight last night until he passed.
There's a lot of glory being given to God today at Lark Circle. Simba and Snot are together again, at the Rainbow Bridge, just waiting for that magical day when they'll see some of us again. Until then, Ba will be Ba and Snot will be there just as he always was to keep his eye on Ba. Photographs and memories will keep them alive in my heart until that day. I'm so thankful to God that He brought Ba home to us for his last days and that even in his passing, I could share with you a story about how God can use even the smallest things, like a 20 year old, one fanged pussycat to change our hearts and help us become what He wants us to be. To Him be the glory and for taking Ba quietly, without pain or suffering; and for bringing peace and joy to June and I for all of this.
It's with a heavy heart I write to you today. About six weeks ago, I told you about Simba the geriatric pussycat coming to live with us. This morning, just after eleven, Simba quietly slipped away. Whether or not pets go to heaven, I don't know for sure but I'd like to think that the little people trapped in fur suits that bless our lives will be waiting for us when we arrive. I'm reminded today of the story of the "rainbow bridge" and that thought brings peace to an otherwise saddened soul.
Simba and I were enemies from day one. And I knew exactly where I stood when it came to Wendi and the "boys". Boys first, then maybe me. I told you about his loathing for me. Simba never tolerated me, not one bit, until I changed. He'd occasionally let me pet him if nobody else was around and sometimes I'd try to pet him just to antagonize him. We lived in the same house, slept on the same bed, but Simba never that I recall slept on my side of the bed.
Something changed between us though. Maybe it was because Snot (his "bubby") died last December, I don't know. Maybe it was the things that changed in me and he could sense it. When I spent some time in Ohio last winter with the Mrs., he'd really warmed up to me and having him back home even though the time was short, was like having a bit of my life back and I'm so grateful to God for that time.
Because of Simba, I moved back into the master bedroom in the house. I put the television back in the bedroom so he could watch Animal Planet. Simba and Snot used to watch television and I have a zillion stories I could tell you about these two cats. They weren't pets. They were part of our little family.
That's not the lesson for today. What is, is a lesson about what Jesus teaches us about loving our enemies. Ba and I grew close this last six weeks. I let him have free run of the house even though it meant cleaning up a couple of messes. I told you about steaming him because of his asthma. I treated Simba the way he'd been treated his whole life. When I started caring for Simba instead of resenting him, I found love for the little guy. In essence, I loved my enemy.
It's a lesson that carries over to life with people. I have one or two enemies. I don't kid myself, there are a lot of people I used to know that just don't like me and that's fine. I'm talking about enemies. I pray for them. Not every day. But I do. I don't revel when bad things happen to them. It saddens me. Mostly I pray for their salvation. I think though, that having Simba here made me realize something and this is one of the most important things I've learned in a long, long time.
Hate is a powerful emotion. Hate causes anger; anger sometimes causes us to do things we normally wouldn't do. You can hate someone so much that no matter what they do, no matter how hard they try to make things right, you just can't get past the hate. I've seen the results of hate and they're never positive. I think that might be part of the reason why we're admonished in the Bible to do just the opposite; to love our enemies. Look at me and Ba. The only thing that overcame the hatred was love and in the end, I have the peace of knowing his last days and hours were comfortable. He was warm, caressed, held, and loved until he took his last breath. I held him some last night and Miss June held him from midnight last night until he passed.
There's a lot of glory being given to God today at Lark Circle. Simba and Snot are together again, at the Rainbow Bridge, just waiting for that magical day when they'll see some of us again. Until then, Ba will be Ba and Snot will be there just as he always was to keep his eye on Ba. Photographs and memories will keep them alive in my heart until that day. I'm so thankful to God that He brought Ba home to us for his last days and that even in his passing, I could share with you a story about how God can use even the smallest things, like a 20 year old, one fanged pussycat to change our hearts and help us become what He wants us to be. To Him be the glory and for taking Ba quietly, without pain or suffering; and for bringing peace and joy to June and I for all of this.
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