Previous | Next 

Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat

Bob Koivisto

“Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, where have you been?
I’ve been to London to visit the Queen.
Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, what saw you there?
I saw a mouse under her chair.”

Why did the kitty see the mouse and not the Queen? Because she had a kitty cat heart. How we see depends on what kind of heart we have.

Matthew 9:36-38 says of Jesus, “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.’” In John 4:35, Jesus said to His disciples, “Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”

What do we see in the world? I’ve been to many prayer meetings where we prayed for the lost. But I can’t find any examples of praying for the lost in the New Testament or in the life of Christ. We pray: “Oh God, give us opportunity. Oh God, make people hungry.” Jesus said: “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers.” He knew where the real problem is.

On three occasions in the life of Christ, He called on us to see the world as He sees it and then act on that vision.

Jesus said at the beginning of his ministry, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). The inevitable result of following is fishing. If we are followers, we are becoming fishers. It doesn’t matter whether we are gifted as evangelists. Followers are fishers. Jesus said at the end of His ministry, “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). The command there is not “Go”, but should read, “When you go, make disciples.” When you go where? Fishing. When you go people fishing, make disciples. Fishing is unrelated to my personal desire or inclination. Paul said to Timothy that they were only two times to preach the gospel – “in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2) – and neither one was when I feel inclined to preach. Jesus said just before He left earth, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). In other words, Jesus was saying: Move out to the whole world – and start next door. Ability has nothing to do with it. Henrietta Mears said, “The greatest ability is availability.” God is the one “who is able” (Romans 16:25).

We see according to what we are. Do we have a kitty cat heart, or the heart of God for a lost and dying world?

Bob Koivisto is a freelance writer from Everson, Wash.

Previous | Next 

Last modified May 23, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
Masthead and usage information.