The yellow tomcat crouched in the weeds along the edge of the man’s property as the twilight deepened. The only evidence of his growing impatience was the twitching tip of his long tail. When he deemed it sufficiently dark and quiet, he began moving stealthily toward the back porch and the cat dish. With every sense alert for danger, he eased onto the back porch. He paused once more. Probing the darkness with his eyes and ears, he looked in every direction—but one.  

Satisfied that all was well, the tomcat began to crunch cat food. He did not know the man stood just inside the closed door, looking down at him through the window. Every few moments he stopped crunching to look and listen, but he never thought to look up, and so he never saw the man, who would one day hold him responsible for his nighttime forays.  

Many sins are committed in private. A closed door, a darkened environment, a cell phone, an Internet connection, no one else around—these may make a person feel safe. He looks in every direction except one. He is alone, he thinks—no one will ever know.  

A youth travels alone. A motel beckons. Television, a late-night movie, or worse wait beyond the closed door. No one knows he is here. But is he sure he is alone? Does he remember to look up?  

Someone is watching who will eventually hold him responsible for his nighttime forays. “Behold, the judge standeth before the door.”  

The Judge’s eyes all sins behold, 
And all dark secrets will unfold.

From Paws on My Porch, by Gary Miller
© 2015 TGS International, PO Box 355, Berlin, Ohio 44610
Used by permission