HARVEY
Hate is a strong word, and while I don't necessarily "hate" cats, I am certainly not what you would call a "cat lover."
I'm pretty confident that Harvey knew what he was doing all along. He had a way of getting under my skin.
We used to have a cat named Harvey, who was part of the family years before I came into the picture. In reality, Harvey was a female. She had a male name because when Jenny got her, she was told Harvey was a male. Embarrassedly, she didn't find out he was a she until she took Harvey to the vet to have her, thinking she was him "neutered," only to find out Harvey needed to be "spayed," the term for female sterilization.
Harvey and I had what I would call a love-hate relationship. He regularly woke me up at 4:30 in the morning because he wanted to go outside. One morning, he went outside, woke me up at the regular time, crawled in through the upstairs window at 4:45, and woke me up again. Thinking he wanted to go outside again, I took him downstairs, only to find out that he woke me up because he was hungry.
I'm pretty confident that Harvey knew what he was doing all along. He had a way of getting under my skin.
I confessed to my wife and daughter that one day, out of frustration, I kicked Harvey. It was 4:30 in the morning. It wasn't a hard kick, like kicking him across the room, but it was a kick nonetheless. I want to think of it as more of a "firm scoot." I felt bad.
Shortly after my kicking confession, my daughter shared a verse from Proverbs with me. I love the Book of Proverbs because it was written by Solomon, the wisest man to have ever lived. My actions showed that I was not wise at all.
"A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."
—A Proverb of Solomon
I am a righteous man. God declares it to be true. I am righteous not because of anything I have done or could ever do but because of what Jesus accomplished through his death and resurrection. It is through this faith alone, in Jesus alone, that I have become the righteousness of God.
The sacred writings of scripture are just as they speak of themselves, living and active words discerning the thoughts and attitudes of my heart.
While it was humbling to be reminded by your daughter that a righteous person regards the life of his animal, the conviction was worth it. It was evidence that I have a God who made all creatures and made a way for me to experience his righteousness.
Epilogue
If you want to hear about our dogs, Jed and Finn, from the Middle East, you can watch it here, Harvey, Jed & Finn.
Proverbs 12:10 | Hebrews 4:12 | 2 Corinthians 5:21