In our small yard in town, we had two cats. The older one was small, but she was a real fighter. Her name was Heidi, and she was not afraid of either man or animal. When we yelled at dogs to scare them out of the yard, Heidi would chase them with great fierceness. We were quite concerned when sometimes she would chase one of them beyond the boundary of her territory for fear the dog might turn on her without our being there to protect her. She would run after the dog, striking with her claws at his backside to keep him moving. One time she even jumped up and rode on the back of a large dog to hurry him on his way. After the dog was sent off with his tail curled under, Heidi would trot victoriously back to the yard with her tail held high.
The younger cat, Kinza, was larger than Heidi and solidly built. She did not spend much time in the front yard; she liked the safety of the backyard with its high fence, trees and shrubs. We sometimes called her “fraidy cat,” because she could be easily startled and would run and hide. She usually curled up under a bush in the backyard to sleep, while Heidi would stretch out on the front lawn and sleep in the open on a hot day.
Heidi is no longer with us. We miss her and her watchful patrol across the yard in front of our house. When she didn’t come home one day, our children were looking for her and found her lifeless body in the field across the street. She must have been caught out there in the open by a large enemy and had no place to run for safety.
Heidi was a brave cat and very sure of herself, but Kinza knew her weakness compared to the large dogs living on our street, and she kept out of sight of her enemies. Perhaps you may know people who are like Heidi. Instead of seeing themselves as sheep needing the protection of the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, they see themselves as being larger and stronger than they really are. Our enemy, Satan, is just waiting to trap those who think they don’t really need the Lord Jesus. These people have no fear and think only “fraidy cats” need His help. These are the very people Satan lures into his territory to become his victims. “Your adversary [enemy] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:88Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8)).
Do you know that the Lord Jesus loves you and waits with His arms open to save and protect you? “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Proverbs 18:1010The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10)).
We hope you are a Kinza rather than a Heidi.
ML-05/30/2004