It amuses me what God sometimes uses to teach us lessons. Lately, it seems my four cats (and others in my life) have been the source of a few biblical truths.
Be Bold
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6, ESV
Toph
Toph is not actually my cat. Technically, she belongs to Cat Depot, the organization for whom I foster kittens. She was only a month old when she was found running in circles on a busy street because she is completely blind. The vet said she’d probably been blind from birth, most likely from infection as a newborn. This little thing, who weighed less than half a pound, had somehow survived at least four weeks with no vision whatsoever. My children dubbed her Toph after a heroine in an animated TV series – a warrior girl who is blind.
Toph has lived up to her name. She’s never had any sight, but that doesn’t stop her from trying the same things I’ve watched many other kittens learn to do. At first, she was a little cautious, but then she learned to trust that if she were headed for danger, we would stop her. While she’s still confined most of the time to a large ferret cage for her own safety, she gets around just fine. She can find her bed, her litter box, her food and water bowls, and even her toys, by feel and sound and smell. She can climb the ramps to the other levels of the cage. When we let her out, she runs around the living room floor, and seems to know exactly where the furniture is. If you shake her ball that rattles, she will turn and immediately pounce right on it. It may take her a bit longer to figure things out such as how to maneuver a ramp, but she never hesitates to try. When I recently introduced her to another kitten so she’d have some company, she boldly began pawing all over him, “feeling” to see what he was. Then, deeming him an appropriate playmate, promptly pounced on him.
Why can’t we have that same approach to new things in our lives? We should never let fear (or our own limitations) prevent us from going after whatever He sets before us, even if it means stepping outside our comfort zones. God promises He will always be with us, that He will never leave us or forsake us. He tells us to be brave and courageous. We may not always be able to see where He’s taking us, but we know if we trust Him, He’ll take us someplace awesome. If a blind kitten can be bold, why shouldn’t we pounce on every opportunity we can, knowing our God is right there with us?
I know I’m already approaching crazy cat lady status … but I just might keep this little blind kitten to remind me that I don’t have to see where I’m going to know my God’s got this.
Blessings,
Amy