AWAY over in Africa lived a missionary family—five girls and two boys lived with their mother and father. The missionary family loved to tell the African girls and boys and their mothers and fathers about the Lord Jesus.
They told them that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus, to die for them on the cross. The African people would clap their hands. That is the way they said, “Thank You.” As they listened to the story of God’s love they clapped their hands to say “Thank you” to Him.
One day the missionary family found a baby civet cat. A civet cat is a wild cat that lives in Africa and grows as big as a fox. It has gray fur with black bands and spots. They took the little cat home for a pet. It would go sniffing all around the rooms. They liked the little civet-cat and fed it every day.
But soon it wasn’t little any more. And, because it was growing so big, and it was a wild cat, they were afraid to keep it. One day they took it away off in the forest and let it go free.
It had been gone for a long time. Then one evening they heard scratching at the door. They opened the door and in came the big, big cat! He sniffed at each member of the missionary family. Then he jumped up on the missionary man’s lap.
One of the missionary children set a bowl of food on the floor. The civet cat jumped down and ate the food. Then he went from one to another of the family. He sniffed each one, patted them all with his great paw, and then went out of the door. They never saw him again. But they all felt that he had returned to say “Thank You.” He was glad they had cared for him and fed him when he was a little kitten.
This wild animal of Africa said, “Thank You” to the missionary family for their kindness. When the African people heard about the love of God and the Lord Jesus, they said “Thank You” by clapping their hands.
I wonder if you have ever thanked the Lord for His great love and care for you? Have you thanked Him for dying for you on the cross?
ML-05/27/1962