I got a little side-tracked last night, in that my as I went out on the porch to write this, I found that someone had left our back porch door open and my writing partner, a little 6 pound grey and white indoor cat, without claws, had escaped to no doubt go out and hunt big game. Needless to say I was a bit worried. We live by a some woods with coyotes, foxes, owls, and hawks. And despite how stealth she thinks she is, she seems to show up in the dark pretty well.
The good news is that a couple of rounds of spraying the garden hose at all the bushes flushed her out. And she was angry all the way up to the point I gave her some cat treats. But her behavior reminded me of a danger I often see in life…..the allure and peril of risky behavior. It rarely leads to good, and in the end does nothing to serve us at all.
The cat spent a short bit of time stalking whatever she was stalking, but could have ended up prey herself. And people often do the same. Just a little wandering into something we shouldn’t……an inappropriate conversation with a co-worker, one drink too much, a peek too far on the Internet, there are MANY examples, but all put us at risk. The problem is when there is no garden hose to bring us back, often these things go unchecked, and they often grow. The allure for the cat to escape is now addictive. She sees no harm in it. The problem is that the feeling grows…and the same is true with us. Risky behavior can often lead to our need for more.
We however are not left desolate, in that God is always with us, not to guilt us or to strong arm us, but to get our attention (like with that garden hose) and bring us to our senses and bring us back. In truth, life is pretty good for the cat sleeping 23 hours a day, and without thumbs she needs me for those treats. And it is pretty good for us as well. In fact, it can be better without the risky behavior too. We just need to keep it in perspective, and listen as the Lord keeps calling us back!
Okay, enough for now. I am just glad to be in the house with the cat, knowing we will get to write together yet another day. God is good, and though we often cannot tell it (especially the cat) a garden hose can be an instrument of love!
Goodnight my friends, and God bless.
Tom+