Felines and Feathered Fowl

FELINES AND FEATHERED FOWL

Although they actually belong to my brother who lives next door, all four of the cats usually spend at least a portion of the day, and sometimes the night, around my house. Usually they are crawling under the shed, drinking from the birds’ water pan, climbing one of the trees in my back yard, taking a nap in the warm sun, or performing some other ordinary cat-like activity. One morning recently, as I was just beginning to eat some breakfast, I looked out the window to check the bird feeder in my back yard. As I had often seen, there were two or three sparrows on the feeder, paying no attention to anything but the task of gobbling the grain lying on the bottom of the feeder. Upon taking a closer look, I also saw the grey cat crouching in the newly grown clover underneath the feeder, staring upwards rather intently at the apparently unsuspecting birds. As I watched, he slowly, cautiously and quietly circled the feeder, all the while keeping his gaze firmly fixed in the direction of the sparrows. It seemed rather obvious to me that, if there were any way possible, he was intent upon having fresh bird for breakfast. It also seemed to me that due to the distance from the ground to the feeder, he was going to go away disappointed. Having stepped away for only a minute or two, I returned to the window just in time to see the previously motionless feeder swinging back and forth on its hanger, although the wind was barely blowing. The cat was still on the ground under the feeder watching it swing, but the sparrows were nowhere to be seen. The only conclusion that I could jump to was this: the cat had made a leap for the feeder and had come up just a little short. He hit it just enough to set it in motion, at the same time scaring the birds away. After sitting under the feeder for a few more minutes with no birds on it, the cat lazily walked over to the front of my shed, where he sat down in a spot he has made use of many times before. Although he looked as though he had given up in defeat, I suspect he was very closely and quietly watching everything going on around him and just waiting for his next opportunity to pounce on some unsuspecting prey. After watching the scene of the determined, crouching cat and the seemingly oblivious but ultimately safe birds play out before me, I couldn’t help but recall the time when the Apostle Peter warned believers in his day to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour…” (I Peter 5:8) He wanted them to be aware of the fact that Satan is always roaming this earth, doing what comes naturally to him. Sneaking up on and devouring birds comes naturally to cats. It’s just what they do. Catching believers in his snares comes naturally to Satan. It’s just what he does. Just as the cat naturally attempts to make a meal out of the unsuspecting bird, Satan naturally seeks to turn a follower of Jesus into an unbeliever. Fortunately for the sparrows, they were able to do what birds do best – they flew away. And, fortunately for followers of Jesus, we have His word which tells us, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31) To that James added the following promise: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) When the cat became convinced that the birds had flown away and were not returning, he left the feeder and went on to other pursuits. When Satan becomes convinced that we are committed to following Jesus, he has no choice but to leave. Cats can’t fly; therefore, birds (which can fly) and cats cannot occupy the same air space at the same time. In the same way, God (who is good), and Satan, (who is evil) cannot occupy the same place at the same time. God gave birds wings which allow them to flee from danger. Go away, birds! God gives us the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit so that Satan will have to flee from us. Way to go, God!