From the Crow's Nest: Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers...

A few months ago I observed something really interesting. For a few days this really tiny, malnourished and mangy kitten had been hanging out on our doorstep, much to the chagrin of my cat and dog who tried to chase it away. 

When I came home from church one Sunday the kitten was hot so I put some water out. A few hours later, I went out to check and it had drunk all the water. I gave it some more.

The next day I went out and this time the kitten would come up to me cautiously and started to meow.

Then I found my dad had started giving it Spotacus' left over tuna. Spotacus is "the cat in residence." Spot is spoiled and won't eat anything but tuna. So the poor little cat outside was getting a treat.

This whole time my dad is saying, "Don't get attached to the cat, we aren't keeping him."

A few mornings later I went outside and my dad was brushing the cat. It was no longer mangy looking. There was enough hair to make another small cat. I put antibiotics on its ear were another cat had attacked it. It cuddled up next to me and purred.

The funny thing was the whole time my dad was out there, my dog Rudy and the Spot paced back and forth inside, Rudy was yapping at my mom as to say, "Do you know what your husband is doing?" 

This poor kitten for some reason or another picked our house over all the other houses on the drive, for some reason it felt safe, even if it was constantly being abused by Spot and Rudy. We fed it gave it some shelter and it started to trust us. 

The other two animals don't want to accept it and for some reason or another exclude it.

I wonder how often I act like this? I have a loving Heavenly Father, but He isn't just my Heavenly Father He is everyone's Heavenly Father, even all the stray cats and dogs out there. And yes, even those people who may not believe in him.

We show Him we love Him by loving "one another." I think sometimes we instinctively act - the natural man taking over. The difference between us and the animal kingdom is that we have intelligence far beyond our house pets who act on instinct. But even then we can be very choosy about who we find worthy of loving and showing that same Christlike love. I know eventually the two pets will adapt to this yet to be named new member of the family. But are we always that willing to do the same with each other?

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matt. 25:40.)

C. Jerome Crow, of Los Molinos, is an award winning journalist who works for the Corning Observer.