Willie the Cat

We have this stupid cat at our house. His name is Willie, but when pronounced correctly, it sounds more like Widdie (long story). We got Willie from some people out of their car. They were nice folks who had spoiled him from birth, and they had to down size the number of animals they had. So we met them at an intersection of some road and some other road and got this cat. It wasn't love at first sight as much as it was pity at first sight.

Willie has grown on us, and much to our surprise, turned into one of the prettiest cats I have ever seen. And he doesn't have 9 lives. He has 9 personalities that shift throughout the day. He
is a real character.

One of his favorite things is to play by water. Whether a bathtub or toilet or pond, he is fascinated with water. His pattern is always the same; he will piddle around the edges, but never really get wet. He'll splash himself, but not get all the way in - like most cats. I pushed him into the tub one time, which was really fun for me, but I don't think Willie had much fun. He glared at me and then bolted for the underside of the bed to hide and lick his wounds.

Willie reminds me of a lot of people I know. They play with the edges of things, but never really get wet. They have just enough God to inoculate them from really getting a good case of God. Or they dabble in sin enough to keep it alive, but they never really get in and sin out loud. I'm not suggesting they do, but if they were to just get it done with, the natural course of reaping what we sow could take place and it could run its course and then it could be dealt with, and they could move on. Instead, many tend to inoculate themselves from real change because they never really embrace their sinning or their God. They just splash themselves a little, and when there is too much of either, they quickly hide under the bed to take care of their wounds.

I'm not suggesting that any one go sin. I am suggesting that we live out loud, that we not just play with the edges of everything in life, but we fully embrace whatever comes down the pipe. That we choose to enter in with God rather than just play with the comfortable edges of religion. Maybe we need more people who aren't afraid to get wet. How did Jesus say it? "I wish you were either hot or cold, but because you are neither, I will spit you out of my mouth."

So don't be a Willie. Get into life. And especially get into God. Get all wet with the the reality of who He is. Lose yourself in the water of His love.