Chapter Twelve of Cats are Cool

My Little Rule Breakers

Ka-boom! I heard a noise in the living room and I went running. The clock was on the floor and a stack of books from the bookshelves, had also fallen to the floor. There were magazines scattered around the room. It looked like the room had been hit by an earthquake. I began to call my cats: “Baby, Dolly”. Neither of the cats appeared. They seemed to have disappeared from our house. When I paid close attention, however, I saw that the curtains were a little odd. Upon opening the curtains, I saw two very innocent looking cats staring up at me, as if to say “What on the earth is wrong?”
Although I fully realize that Dolly and Baby are only cats, I have no doubt that they understood, from my tone of voice, that they were in trouble. That’s why they hid behind the curtains.
Something I find fascinating is that the two of them always hide out when they break something or do something they shouldn’t. For example, the two of them are prohibited from jumping up on the dining room table. If, however, I come up on them, very quietly, early morning or during the night, it’s highly likely that I will see two cats sleeping on the table. When they see or hear me, they jump down and run as fast as they can for the opposite corner of the room.
In the same way that Dolly and Baby try to hide their misbehaviour, we try the same thing. No one ever really likes to admit they are wrong, or did something they should not have done. No one finds any pleasure in saying: “I was wrong”, “I was disobedient”. We are ashamed or embarrassed by our wrong-doing. We are afraid of being humiliated or punished.
It’s really hard, I mean REALLY hard, to speak the truth when we are wrong. Our instinct is always to proclaim our innocence: “It wasn’t ME” or “I didn’t do it” or “It’s not my fault”. Others may believe your lie when you say you are innocent, but there is someone who knows that you are not speaking the truth.
God hears all that you say. God knows all you do. God desires for you to always speak the truth, even when it is difficult. God desires for you to act with honesty and courage.
The next time you are tempted to deny your guilt, remember that God wants you to speak the truth. Think: “Am I acting like Baby and Dolly, or am I acting like a child of God?”