Moses was a yard cat. His was a life of freedom. He was free to prowl the premises hunting for frogs and mice. He was at liberty to tussle with his sibling or merely snooze on the sunny porch if he chose. All of the great, golden out-of-doors was his to enjoy. Sam was a house cat. His was a life of luxury. He had every comfort a cat could want: soft, clean carpet underfoot, plenty of food in his dish, and a climate-controlled environment. The man’s big, comfortable house was his to enjoy.  

 Moses and Sam sometimes sat at the same window, one on the outside looking in and the other on the inside looking out. The man could never be certain what was going on in the minds of his cats, but he thought he recognized a bit of envy reflected in those amber eyes.  

 Ah, contentment! How little it has to do with what we have or do not have. How much it involves an attitude of thankfulness and acceptance. The Apostle Paul testified, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11). He was content, though he had to flee for his life. He was content to suffer deprivation and imprisonment. He was content in spite of the infirmity of his flesh. He was content to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Though his life appears far from ideal when measured against the modern “American dream,” Paul had learned contentment.  

It is not where we are but what we are that counts. Whether we are on the outside looking in, or on the inside looking out, let us be inspired to a life of thanksgiving and contentment.  

 From Paws on My Porch, by Gary Miller  

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