I’m not really a pet person. Yes, my household currently includes a cat and a dog, but it’s not as if I really went out and led the foray to get them. They fell into our laps, so to speak. The kids and Lois pretty much took them in because they wanted pets. I went along with the plan because it was an act of kindness. We took Mentor in when Sheila, her original owner, passed away, and Zed entered the family as a stray that had been deposited into Lois’ car. It was the right thing to do because I couldn’t stand the thought of either animal being abandoned and uncared for.
As a result of this desire to care for the lost and lonely, the Giurin household is currently feeding a wee cat that seems to have no owner. It’s a bit of a runt and as far as we can tell is just a stray. The little critter came to our attention because our cat, Zed, appears to have taken it under its care. They seem to hang out together and even though Zed occasionally snaps at it, the tiny beastie never goes too far away.
We’ve named the thing ‘Q’ (for cutie) and we leave it food but we haven’t claimed ownership yet. First, we don’t know if it really is a stray or not and second, we haven’t been able to catch it. We’ve been close. David has sat for extended periods trying to feed it without success. It has even followed Zed over the threshold and into the front hall, but as soon as it sees a human, or realizes where it is, it skitters away like a, well, like a scalded cat.
It reminds me of folks who are hesitant to come to church. I’m pretty sure ‘Q’ can sense that the house is warm and smells pretty good. He has already learned to associate us with tasty food and so far with no pain whatsoever but that’s as far as it gets. For whatever reason he has not made the connection between our home and comfort.
I get that sense with folks who don’t make church and God a regular part of their lives. Hesitant guests at best, they know something good happens, or at least is supposed to happen, but they haven’t seen enough proof to make a foray into church life. Perhaps they’ve been hurt before and can’t forgive. Perhaps they are confused by conflicting reports of what God and His church are all about. Or maybe they just don’t have a clue where to begin. I don’t know all the reasons; all I know is that there are a lot of spiritually hungry people that can’t or won’t let themselves be fed regularly.
That’s OK. Really, I don’t mind; I’m happy to leave a bowl of food for ‘Q’ and know that he’s at least getting an occasional good meal. I’m just as happy offering whatever service I can to folks on the periphery of God or the church. It’s not ideal, but at least I can provide a bit of spiritual nourishment every once in a while. The bottom line is this: whether it’s a regular member of St. James or a hesitant guest peeking in, they are equally welcome to anything and everything I can offer them on God’s behalf.
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