Friedl had been a wonderful pet of the Nell family, and they took very good care of her. Although she was a cat that lived mostly outside, she loved to be petted and would come when she was called. The Nell family kept a bowl of food out on the porch for her.
One day Uncle Ken Nell saw a large tomcat slinking around in the bushes. He had noticed that Friedl’s food dish had been empty sooner than usual, and now he suspected that Big Tom was stealing Friedl’s cat food. Whenever Uncle Ken saw Big Tom, he hissed at the cat, chased him off their property, and one time even threw an old shoe at him. This didn’t seem to stop Big Tom from hanging around the Nell place, however, and the food still disappeared.
One day Uncle Ken saw Big Tom sitting beside the hole that led under the porch. Big Tom was crying and howling in what must have been a sad kitty song. He was mourning for his friend. Friedl had done what many animals do when they are going to die: She had crawled under the porch to hide, and Big Tom knew she was dead. Right then, Uncle Ken felt sorry for Big Tom and decided that he would try to be nicer to the big stray cat.
The family filled the cat food bowl each day, and each morning it was empty. Big Tom was coming at night to eat the food, but he wouldn’t come around to be petted and loved. In fact, to this day Big Tom still hisses and bolts away when anyone tries to approach him. He will not accept the Nells as friends.
Big Tom reminds us of sinners, like ourselves, who will not come to Jesus to be made clean and whole from our sins. We enjoy all the benefits of being God’s creatures: food, shelter, rain and sunshine. Like Big Tom, many of us want the good things God gives us, but we don’t want to belong to Him. We will not accept Him as our Friend and Master. We would rather go our own ways.
Uncle Ken could try to grab Big Tom and take him into his house. But that wouldn’t work. Tom would just run and hide under a bed, or dash out at the next open door. And if God took sinners still in their sins to heaven, they wouldn’t be happy. No sin can enter God’s holy presence, so there would be no place for unwashed sinners there. They would have no joy in singing the praises of Jesus Christ, because they have not accepted His loving offer to have their sins washed away.
Jesus came to be a man here on earth so that He could win our hearts. “When we were enemies, we were reconciled [reunited] to God by the death of His Son” (Romans 5:1010For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10)). “Jesus . . . was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death” (Hebrews 2:99But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)). His becoming a man made it possible for Jesus to bear the punishment for the sins of any who see their need and will accept His love. He endured God’s awful wrath as our substitute. We can be called the sons of God now, and “the Father Himself loveth you” (John 16:2727For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. (John 16:27)).
I hope that Big Tom will accept Uncle Ken as a friend. That would make them both happy! And you can bring joy to God’s heart by accepting His Son Jesus as your Saviour today. “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:77I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:7)).
ML-08/20/2000