Whenever I try to distract myself from writing, and other assorted work and chores, I often scroll social media, cute animal gifs, and videos.
Recently, I came across one cat video, in which the spotlighted feline was confidently strutting alongside a spastic, probably clueless, puppy, zigzagging in and out of the path the cat was strutting on.
It did not deter our kitty, however. Instead, the creature just kept moving forward, sometimes, with perturbed ears, folded back slightly.
But, nevertheless, it kept walking.
The cat appeared to have mastered “The Art of Ignoring.”
You and I could learn some lessons from this fluffy feline.
It has to do with the issue of being “Bothered.”
Its definition?
“Mind, care, worry, trouble, concern, disturb. Trouble or annoy someone by interrupting or causing inconvenience.”
Yeah, I’d say that about covers it. You and I are bothered by a lot daily.
Big bothers. Little bothers.
Life.
Scripture has some things to say about being bothered. And, warning, these scriptures can ALSO bother us, at least, at face- or flesh- value.
Because pesky humanity simply just does not want to be bothered.
Right?
Let’s briefly roll out a few bothersome, and/or bother-themed, verses.
Count it all joy…
“Esteem it all joy, my brothers, when you might fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James 4:2-4
There’s just nothing like getting off to a great start (I typed sarcastically).
Seriously, who is groaning, throwing a pen across a room, rolling their eyes?
I can’t see you doing so, but I feel you.
Because I have done all the above… and then some.
I never declared they were my proudest, finest moments.
Still, human responses, and they are not joyful, are they?
The “various trials,” symbolically, are the embodiment of that spastic puppy, darting in and out of our life pathway. We, the equally symbolic cat, are tasked with the challenge to walk, and not only walk, but to also confidently strut forward in our destination.
Easier said than strutted.
The “Strut” is our confidence, a/k/a, our faith. The “perseverance?” We “press.”
“I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward calling of YHWH in ( יֵשׁוּעַ Ha-Mashiach) Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:14
It’s our continual walk, no matter what annoying puppy jumps in front of us. We are moving along. We are going from “Point A,” to “Point B.”
Unbothered.
