Kindness to Critters

Read: Psalm 145:8-21; Luke 6:31

Maylie stroked Chester’s long orange fur. Her cat purred loudly. “Sir Chester Chatterson, would you like a morsel of cake?” Maylie placed a cat treat on a plate and poured water into a teacup for Chester.

Mom walked by as Chester lapped water out of the cup. “He let you put that top hat on him?” She laughed. “Just remember to let him leave when he’s had enough tea party time.”

After Chester wandered off, Maylie spotted Miss Priss grooming herself in the sunshine. Miss Priss was an older cat and didn’t like to be bothered. Maybe just this one time she won’t mind, Maylie thought.

Miss Priss gave a warning growl when Maylie picked her up. At first, a few treats seemed to appease the calico, but when Maylie tried to pull a doll’s dress over her head, Miss Priss had quite enough!

Hisssss! Scratch! Maylie looked at her arm and began to cry. Mom darted into the room and untangled Miss Priss from the lace dress before attending to Maylie’s scratch.

“Maylie, you know better than to bother Miss Priss!”

“She’s a mean cat!” Maylie sobbed.

“No, she’s just protecting herself. What you did to her was not kind. Do you remember the Bible verse we’ve been working on?”

Maylie stopped sniffling to recite it. “‘Do to others as you would have them do to you.’”

“Good job! Jesus wants us to care about other people’s feelings and needs the way He cares about ours. When we treat people with kindness, we’re showing them the kind of love He showed us when He gave His life to save us. Even the way we care for animals and their needs shows His love in us, because He cares for everything He created.” Mom finished bandaging Maylie’s arm. “Now, what did Miss Priss need?”

“To be left alone. But Mom, Chester doesn’t mind when I dress him up!”