Producing Character

By Justice Carmon

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings,

because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

perseverance, character; and character, hope.

And hope does not put us to shame,

because God’s love has been poured out

into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,

who has been given to us.”

Romans 5:3-5

On a bright Saturday morning, my landlady and I went to the Animal Rescue Center to get a new friend for Maxwell, our house cat. “Look at this one! Isn’t she beautiful?” my landlady said. It was a calico with long hair and bright orange patches.

But I was wary because the description said she did not like other cats. “I think we need a better friend for Maxwell.”

She read the notice and looked downcast. There were about a dozen cats to choose from, but my eye caught one in the corner. He was a beautiful slate gray color, but something was different about his face. His right eye was nearly closed. He looked like an old sailor or pirate, squinting at me. His card read, “My name is PERRY, and I am very friendly. My eye is like this because I was hit by a car. I see fine, though – don’t you think it makes me more interesting?”

We agreed. Perry came home with us and did great. Months later, we went back to the Rescue Center and guess what? They remembered him! He was “the friendliest cat they had ever seen.”

God used Perry to teach me to worry less and be kinder every day -even if I feel like I’ve been run over by a car!

 

Justice Carmon is a Bible teacher and writer who grew up reading comics and the Bible every day. He has two cats and a landlady, and he tries to keep them all fed at the same time. He is currently writing Bible Studies, devotionals and Christian Science Fiction. You can read a novella of his called The Last Magi for FREE at Lulu.com .