I stopped at the convenience store on my way home from the office to pick up a few essentials like Oreo cookies and milk.
As I stepped from my car I noticed a black and white cat hanging around the store entrance begging to get in. I recognized him as Rico, my granddaughter’s pet. Several years ago, my son, Jason, couldn’t resist the abandoned kitten mewing in the parking lot and compassionately toted him home. It turns out Rico is a natural-born free spirit. He calls their house his home—but basically he only stops by for food and a quick nap under one of the cars in the driveway. On a rare occasion, he’ll sleep in the house. But he’s still their cat and they love him. Rico is the quintessential low maintenance pet. Toss him some dry food (anything will do), pet him when he walks by and he’s a happy cat.
So when I spotted him hanging around the door of a store several miles from home on busy Main Street, I thought, “You ornery sucker… I’d better take you home, you could get run over in this busy parking lot.” I called out, “Here Rico! Here kitty, kitty, kitty!” I was surprised that he recognized me as he sauntered over, rubbing against my leg. I tried to call the kids but no one answered, so I picked him up and tossed him in the back seat. “Sit tight, Rico,” I assured him. “I’m going in for a few things then I’ll run you home.
I finished my shopping and, proud of my heroism, turned back toward the city as Rico lay curled up on the passenger seat. I read him the riot act about hanging out at places like the convenience store. “You don’t know who might pick you up and take you home with them. Then where would you be? Bad kitty!”
When I arrived at the kids’ house it was good to see their lights on and everyone home. I thought, “They’ll be so grateful that I’ve rescued poor old Rico! He’s probably been missing for days!”
I burst through the back door, my furry black and white friend purring under my arm, and announced, “Hey, guess what, I found Rico all the way down at the convenience store! But no worries, I brought him home.”
All four of them stared at me and my contented companion but no one said a word; they just screwed up their faces like I was crazy. It was only then I noticed another Rico asleep on the back of the sofa. My granddaughter, Megan, talked in slow motion as though I may not be able to understand. “Grandpa, Rico is right here. Whose cat is that?”
“Umm… I guess he belongs to someone on Main Street,” I said sheepishly. ”See you guys later.” I could hear their hoots and laughter as I backed out of the driveway.
Fake Rico, totally nonplused by these events, once again curled up on the passenger seat, quite happy to be riding in a warm car. Arriving back at the dollar store, I apologized to the cat for confusing him with someone else, sat him safely on the grass near the neighboring apartments, and headed home for milk and cookies.
Turns out, there is only one Rico, and my purring passenger wasn’t him. In today’s diversified global culture many would tell us that there are many ways to God. Although that may feel right or even look right… it just isn’t right.
God has only one son and his name is Jesus. Other ways and even other people may look convincingly like a way to God’s heart, but Jesus said, “I am the Way… and no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” We won’t fool the Father’s heart, He knows who is the real deal, and He’s looking for His son in each of us.
“The Father loves the Son extravagantly. He turned everything over to him so he could give it away–a lavish distribution of gifts. That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever! And that is also why the person who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn’t see life. All he experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that.”
John 3:35-36 The Message
The loving Father sent His only Son to the world to gather those who will come with His Son back to heaven. The way to the Father’s heart is by embracing the One He most loves, His Son Jesus Christ.
My kids weren’t interested in substitute-Rico. If you want to know the Father, you have to know His Son.
Read Ron’s column, Simple Faith, each Saturday on the Faith Page (page 3) of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette, or visit www.lancastereaglegazette.com.