Life is so interesting.

Many of us prefer to spend our time spoiling ourselves with the attractions of the world. But often this comes with a price. While worrying about making ourselves happy, we often neglect giving the necessary attention to those who truly love us.

Then there are others. These would rather spoil other people than worry about themselves. These are the ones who will do anything for those they love, and often let their own needs go to the wayside.

My kitten, strangely enough, belongs in the second category. No, she isn’t perfect. We regularly see the diabolic “horns” sprouting from her innocent little face, especially when she is tempted to jump on the table, play with the chains from the coo coo clock, eat her doggy-sister’s food, or scratch the furniture. But other than when she is unable to resist temptation, she is a very “giving” little kitty.

On her second day under our roof, we took her for a walk with Salida, our Golden Retriever. After a minute of taking in her surroundings, she was ready to walk, and walk she did. On the leash! That same weekend we went camping near Point Pelee National Park. She was quite the sensation to the tourists nearby as she walked, on the leash, around the board walk in the marsh area, in the woods and on the beach. She even followed her doggy-sister’s example and did her business on the side of the trail! Just like a regular “dog”! One of the park rangers came over to pet her and welcome her personally to the park.

We noticed immediately that while on the leash, she desires to follow a significant person (or animal!) in her life, and she shadows that creature constantly. Most of the time she chooses to walk next to her doggy-sister. Her biggest pleasure is to please us, a job that she is extremely good at!

I wish we could all learn from her and also make it our only goal to please our Master. While Jesus was in our neighbourhood, His goal was to please His Father: “The One who sent me stays with me. He doesn’t abandon me. He sees how much joy I take in pleasing him.” (John 8:27 The Message)

How different our world would be if we were like Jesus, working to please God in all we do. Gone would be the legalese believers and the defeated church-goers. Love would be on the rise, not only towards our Maker, but also towards all of His creation, for the one automatically goes with the other!

“Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received!” (2 Peter 1:3 The Message)

Sooner or later we will eventually meet our Maker face to face. It’s then that we will think about our actions in life, asking ourselves if they were all legitimate, and if they all gave glory to the One who created and redeemed us!

“Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that’s what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we’ll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what’s coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad.” (2 Cor 5:9-10 The Message)

Would we be willing to walk on leash with our loving God in the lead?

Rob Chaffart

(To access the entire “Lessons From a Ragdoll” devotional series, please click here.)