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Saving Butterscotch: a faith based story from the Story Powerline
Wednesday, October 16, 2019 by Karen M. Pickett Ward
Categories: Story Powerline
“Mom, come look!” our three-year-old Andrew called in a soft, awed voice.
It was a hot summer day, not long after our family moved out of the city onto the beautiful desert mesa in New Mexico. And I was so glad I went to look right away!
The rattlesnake
For there on the patio lay a coiled rattlesnake, preparing to strike our curious kitten.
Andrew didn’t understand the danger. He thought this was another fresh experience for him to enjoy in his new desert home. I yelled and grabbed him and ran back into the house.
Kitty in danger
Our other two children quickly came to the patio door to see what the commotion was about. We all stood at the sliding glass door watching the stand-off between our kitty and the rattlesnake.
“Jesus, save our kitty!” the children pleaded, between cries of “No, Butterscotch, come inside!”
Kitty rescued
Without asking permission (I would have said “NO!”), our 11-year-old son Matthew took action. He quickly stepped onto the patio, swooped up the kitten in his arms – just inches away from the rattler – and ran back toward the house. With a sigh of relief, he slipped inside.
Then Matthew, whose father has taught him gun safety and marksmanship, shot the rattlesnake with his dad’s shotgun from the safety of our kitchen window.
Saved for love’s sake
When someone we love is at risk, we can act in totally selfless ways, like Matthew did when he saved his cat. Jesus did that when he died to rescue us. The Bible says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (2 John 4:18 NIV).
Today’s prayer
“Dear God, show us how to love each other in fearless and unselfish ways.” Amen.
Resource: If you liked this story, you can find it and more like it in My Roots Go Back to Loving and other stories from Year of the Family, compiled and edited by Becky Cerling Powers.
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