O DEAR! Isn’t this a sight? One, two, three, four kittens, as busy as they can be, and enjoying it, too! They are having a real good time, and are not thinking of doing anything wrong, but only of eating and enjoying themselves.
But you and I know that it is mischief and all wrong, and I think if they were in our house, we should run and cry, “s-s-s-scat!” pretty quickly, and make them scamper. What do you think?
And yet it is all right for kittens to drink milk, and coffee too, if they like it; and to eat fish and meat, is it not? The dear little things, how are they ever to grow fat and keep so, if they do not eat?
Yes, but this table was set for somebody else, and these creatures are out of place. It is not right to take the children’s food and give it to the kittens.
And then, is on the table or under the table the place for them? That is the question here. You see, that must first be settled before they get anything to eat. If they will take their own place, their kind mistress will give them all they need. But they must receive as nothing but cats all they get, and, no doubt, it will be a plentiful supply. They must not try to get anything by stealing or by right, but, as the direct result of kindness on the part of those with whom they live, everything they need is given to them.
You understand this, do you not? Well now, let us turn to Matt. 15:21-2821Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. (Matthew 15:21‑28). There you will find that a Gentile woman came to Christ, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David!” But He, as Son of David, came only to the Israelites, for they were God’s chosen people, and so He said to her, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the home of Israel.” And again He said to her, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast. it to dogs.” Does that sound harsh and unfeeling? Wait and see. It brings out her answer, that though she is but a flog and has no claim on Him, yet she knows His grace and kindness, and that He has something for dogs too. She says, “Truth, Lord: ‘yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” That is it. They get something from their kind Masters, in their proper place.
Suppose she had got angry, and said she was no dog at all, but as good as anybody, she would have gone away without help.
But she does not say anything of the kind, and Jesus says to her, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” And He gave her what she desired of Him.
Now, dear children, Christ has plenty for us — salvation, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, heaven and glory, and all that He has, and is. But we must not be out of place. Salvation is for the lost; forgiveness for sinners; eternal life for those dead in trespasses and sins; and heaven and glory for those who deserve hell. Will you take your proper place and own that these things are all true of you? Then He will give you all of these blessings.
That is what this bright picture teaches me, and I want to caution, you against thinking of going to heaven just because you are pretty good children, and have not done much wrong, as you might think. No, Christ must needs die, and rise again from the dead, because you are a lost sinner. Take your true place and be saved.
ML 04/09/1916