Sermon Illustrations from a non-preacher

Many times, as I go through my week, I'll see little things that remind me of my Christian walk.  This week, a couple of these images came from my pets.  First example is my precious pup Porky.  Porky, bless his little heart, is a chicken.  He hides from most everything.  He'll come out for me, and he loves to his head scratched, but it's always within the safety of the fence.  If a stranger enters the fence or if I try to get him to come out of the fence to go for a walk, he won't.  He hides when strangers come in, and no matter how much I cajole and coax him, he won't come out.  His sisters love to get out and run around the yard, but not Porky.  If I leave the gate on the fence open, and try to get him out to run around in the yard, he won't come out.  He'll come to the gate and maybe take two steps out, but he won't come all the way out.  This week, Porky worked up some courage and followed his sisters out of the fence.  He didn't run around as much as they did, but he did come out.  This struck me as similar to some Christians: they are comfortable in their specific pew, their specific role in the church (or non-role if they are not active in the ministry of the church), and they are not willing to venture outside of the fence even if God is calling them.  They may venture out a little, but then are ready to get right back into their comfort zone.  Fear or even laziness may keep them from taking the step outside of the fence, even if the Father is waiting on the other side for them.

Another example I saw this week is my "extra" cats.  I have a tender heart, and I can't stand to see an animal hungry.  We had a kitten that had been staying under the house.  I had seen him several times, so I started putting out food for him.  He took that as a good sign and decided to start showing up when I was feeding the dogs, and it did not bother him at all to be vocal about his hunger.  He wanted no part of me, except for the food.  He would not (and still will not) let me pet him, but he will come close and meow to let me know that he is hungry.  I call him Tigger.  The feeding becomes a regular things, and apparently Tigger spreads the word.  It's not long before Foxy and Calvin start showing up to eat as well.  Now, they are the same as Tigger.  They are wild and do not like to be touched.  They are not as vocal as Tigger, but still show up when they know it's dinner time.  These cats remind me of the people who want what the church has to offer in the way of assistance and handouts, but want no part of salvation or Jesus.  Like these cats, the church (Jesus) offers what they need for eternal, but if we get to close to them to offer this assistance, they hiss and growl and run in the other direction.  This also applies to Christians who have fallen away, and Christ offers the healing and mercy and grace that they need, but they turn the opposite direction and don't reach out for the help.  The thing about these "cats" though, is that with love and patience and grace, we may be able to reach them.  Tigger is gradually coming closer and closer, and I was actually able to pet him this week, but only for a second before he realized what I was doing.  I think its only a matter of time until I have him completely tame.  Same way with people, with patience and love, we can show them the way to Jesus.

Then there's my precocious Prince Inki.  My demanding, feed-me-now cat.  When he wants something, he has no problem letting me know about it.  And he will not hush until I give him what he wants.  He has rare times of patience, but most of the time it's "I want it and I want it now."  Sometimes he will have a full dish of food, what he needs, but he is not hapy with it until someone puts different food into his dish.  I know that we can be the same way sometimes.  We have what we need, but we beg and plead and pray and cry, because we don't have what we think we want or need.  We don't open our eyes and see what we already have, or don't realize that we don't have what we think we want or need  because God knows that it is not the best thing for us at the time.  We may not know why on this side of eternity, but we have to trust that God knows what it right for us and that He will give us what we need, just as Inki knows that I will give him food when he needs it.

Where are you in these?  I see a little of myself in all three.  I am more like Porky right now, in that I am not wanting to get out of the fence and follow God.  I'm not trusting that what is on the other side of the fence is what is best for me, and I am content to be a chicken and stay in the fence where I am comfortable.  Even if I see the others outside of the fence, and know that they are happy and content to follow the master, I may take a couple of steps out but I lose faith and trust and turn around and run right back in.  I feel God calling me out of the fence, to leave my comfortable pen and follow Him where ever but I am scared to follow when I don't know the path.  I know the destination but not the path.  And that scares me.  Do I have the courage to follow my brothers and sisters?  To be a part of that "great cloud of witnesses" that have gone on before?