Jesus Loves the "Strays"

We have a stray cat in our neighborhood. I've known him for nine years - since he was a kitten. I knew his mother, another stray. His sister and niece have lived in our house for many years. But he was never interested in being a house cat. He'd accept the food that we and other neighbors put out for him. Later in his life, he'd pop over the threshold. But was howling to go back out within an hour of coming in. 

This past January, during one of those icy "polar vortexes" he made the bold decision to stay the night. I put a blanket down behind a chair where he would sit when he had visited in the past. That night, I slept on the couch in case he got frightened and wanted to go back out during the night. I'm sure we both slept poorly, not sure we could trust the other in this new situation. As soon as the sun was rising he howled to be let out again. But he came back in the next night. After about about a week he bravely spent the night on the couch and eventually even moved to another room to sleep on a chair under the dining room table. He even learned to "play" with some cat toys we set out just for him. He had his own catnip banana and especially enjoyed playing with a toy attached to a string and a rod that we'd dangle for him. 

But every morning he howled to go back out. And now as the weather warms at night, he chooses not to stay inside for more than an hour again.

It recently occurred to me that this might have been the kind of relationship Jesus had with the many people he encountered during his time on earth. The religious leaders of the time often criticised Jesus for ministering to the less desirable people in society: the sick, possessed, prostitutes, tax collectors, samaritans ... we've heard all about those folks. We've heard about the ones he healed, or fed, or forgave. We've heard about some that thanked him, and some that just went on their way. 

I often wonder if there were some who never really repented. If they were able to lift themselves away from their undesireable positions in society. What happened to them?

Every day, I feed that cat and beg him to stay in my warm and safe house. And every day, after a too-short visit he insists on leaving. He trusts us more. He let's us brush his long fur and tend to burrs and ticks. But back out to the yard he goes. Every day, I care for him and tell him I love him. But that love and care hasn't taken the stray out of the cat.

Homelessness is a difficult situation in our community. So many homeless people don't respond the way we would like them to when we try to help. It's so easy to give up and say, I can't fix it so why should I continue to try? 

But Jesus tried his whole life. Every day he would love and care for them and I suspect that sometimes that didn't fix the problem. But Jesus still loved and cared. Jesus still loves and cares.