Published: November 14, 2008 08:11 pm            

The Joy Lady: Our first commandment is to love God with all we have and all we are

TERRE HAUTE — Throughout the years, our family has had its share of pets. We’ve loved and buried hamsters, tropical fish, little-bitty turtles, dogs, cats and assorted other critters.

Boots was our favorite cat. He was a snuggler and cuddler and much loved by all who knew him. Boots met his end in a violent confrontation with the wheels of a hit-and-run driver speeding past our house one spring day. We mourned Boots so much we thought we would try another cat. Enter Blackie, an all-black stray cat with a demonic personality. He scratched, bit, clawed and snarled at each and every one of us at least 10 times a day. At night, that darn cat would moan and groan his complaints right outside our bedroom door. Once, I opened the door for Blackie to go outside, hoping he would meet the same fate as our beloved Boots. Blackie growled his protest and turned his back on me.

It was about this time that our daughter sealed Blackie’s sojourn with our family when we found she was allergic to cat dander. She told us that she loved Boots so much she was willing to put up with the night-time wheezing and sneezing, but since Blackie had not earned such affection, she was more than willing to let the allergy cat out of the bag. We then had a decision to make: keep the cat or keep the daughter. We chose the daughter, and for the most part, I think we made the right decision.

Right after Blackie came to live with us, he got sick. Perhaps his distemper was really distemper, so we threw a blanket over him and took him to the vet. We came home with one angry cat and some pills to try to persuade him to take. We knew it was hopeless, but we tried to give him those pills anyway. It wasn’t a fun experience. For those who have tried to give a sick cat a pill, I’ve come up with some helpful suggestions, just in case you might need to medicate your own cat someday.

First, grasp the cat firmly in your arms. Cradle its head on your elbow, just as if you were giving a baby a bottle. Drop the pill in its mouth and rub its throat to get it to swallow the pill.

Retrieve the cat from the top of the lamp and the pill from under the sofa.

Now, assume the position again, only this time, hold the cat’s front paws down with your left hand and its back paws down with the elbow of your right arm. With your right forefinger, poke the pill in its mouth. Pull your finger out fast. Really fast.

Retrieve the cat from the curtains and resist the impulse to take the pill yourself.

Next, spread a large beach towel on the floor. Calm the cat and lay it in the towel with its head just above the selvage. Wrap it up as tightly as you can and proceed to cradle the cat in your arms again. The cat will no doubt be pretty upset at this point, so you might need to coo encouraging little baby noises in his ear to soothe his frenzied feline feelings. With confidence, ram that little pill down his throat.

Finally, leave the cat on top of the refrigerator, leave the pill under the kitchen table, and have yourself a good cry. I know you are frustrated, because you have just been outwitted by a sick cat.

But God forgave the sickness of our sin. He sent his Son, Jesus, to set things right once and for all. He took our sins to the cross and became the sacrifice in our place. What should be our only response? Jesus said, in Matthew 22:37-38, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” If we look at that statement logically, there follows a logical conclusion: If loving God is the greatest commandment, then not loving God is the greatest sin.

We can kick and growl and resist and scratch and stubbornly complain but it won’t change a thing. Our first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all we have and all we are.

That’s not such a bitter pill to swallow, is it?

Verna Davis may be contacted through her Web site www.TheJoyLady.com.

        

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