Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order
to bring praise to God.    (Romans 15:7) NIV

I have a friend who loves cats. So, when a nearby farmer needed a home for a barn cat’s little kitten, she volunteered. The thought of that tiny kitten snuggling on her lap was almost more than she could stand. But this independent calico kitten soon let her know that there would be none of that nonsense. That kitty had a job to do and intended to do it. Even at 6 weeks, she hunted her prey — the unsuspecting earthworms. Daily, my friend would find them wiggling on the floor and and return them to the soil. As the kitty grew, her hunt continued. Mice, moles, and even the odd gopher met their match — and their Maker — at her acquaintance.

After a few years, the kitty has yet to cuddle with my friend and I doubt she ever will. The kitty just isn’t the purring companion my friend expected. Instead, the kitty has become a teacher and the lessons my friend are learning are heavier than the kitty. The kitty doesn’t live according to the whims of my friend but lives according to the way God made her. She knows who she is and lives her life to that purpose, whether my friend approves or not.
And then it becomes clear. In the same way that my friend accepted the kitty, God loves us — just as we are. We don’t have to be anything but true to Him and ourselves. As with that kitty, our purpose and worth aren’t dependent on pleasing others. If we find ourselves in Christ, that’s enough. We are enough. And just like that kitty, we are complete.

Faith Step:     Watch the behavior of your pet (or a friend’s pet) for a few days. What can you learn from their simple acceptance to life and self? How can that knowledge bring you closer to God?