Bandit, Part 3

“The Cat with the ‘Tude”

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5

Since I wrote the story of “Bandit,” our feral cat, and Bandit part 2 where he brought me a young female friend, or perhaps his daughter, there have been a few changes.

As the curtain rises on part 3, I am taking two dishes of cat food to Bandit and Mew Mew. Much to my surprise, as Mew Mew greeted me, it was revealed that she is not his friend or his daughter, she is his wife!! Two kittens came running up to help mama Mew Mew guide me back to the dining table where papa Bandit sat glaring at me as usual. One kitten looks just like mama so she is “Mini Mew,” and the other has little white boots, so I named that one “Boots.” I thought about the name “Nancy Sinatra,” (“These boots were made for walkin’”) but I did not know if it was a boy or girl. So now they are a family of four, and I deliver four little bowls of food, and the little family gathers around the cement table.

As I watched out my bedroom window, I saw the kittens playing on their daddy, and I thought, “Bandit, you are not as mean as you let on to be.” He is a very good husband and daddy.

So it seems that my faithfulness and care and love for him gained his trust. He is trusting me with his precious family. He still looks like an angry, ornery, cranky, mean and ungrateful kitty with an attitude, but I may have misjudged Bandit. He was keeping a secret. He had little ones to protect.

I recalled Bandit’s ungratefulness to me, while I had faithfully provided him food and protection. I thanked the Lord for His faithfulness to me. He has provided and protected, and I was ungrateful for His grace. Then, when Bandit brought me his “wife,” I had misjudged him. I asked the Lord to help me not judge, but be vulnerable to the risk of rejection.

Lord, help me remove the log from my own eye so that I may see clearly what others need. Someone who looks grouchy or disapproving may need a smile and to be told “God loves you.” Help me to overcome fear, and to trust Your perfect love. Bandit brought me his family, and I am humbled by his trust. Lord, help me to trust You with my family. Help me be grateful, and love with Your perfect love, and trust You even when I do not understand where You are taking me. I know that if I acknowledge You, that You will direct my path.