And the title of the picture is... “Do you speak squirrel?”
When I saw this picture, I was reminded of a poem that I learned many years ago from Nixon Waterman...
To
Know All Is To Forgive All
by
Nixon Waterman
If
I knew you and you knew me, -
If both of us could clearly
see,
And with an inner sight divine
The meaning of your
heart and mine,
I'm sure that we would differ less
And
clasp our hand in friendliness;
Our thoughts would pleasantly
agree
If I knew you and you knew me.
If I knew you
and you knew me,
As each one knows his own self, we
Would
look each other in the face
And see therein a truer grace.
Life
has so many hidden woes,
So many thorns for every rose;
The
"why" of things in our hearts would see,
If I knew you
and you knew me.
As I look at that picture, I really like that kitten, because he ( or she ) is really trying to understand the squirrel, but unfortunately does not speak his language. Truth is, they probably will never understand one another, BUT, they do display positive attitudes towards one another; for, if the heart is open and the mind is free of hate and preconceptions, there is the possibility of real communication. I see this in the picture and hope you do as well.
I have often wondered why the Pharisee’s simply would not believe Jesus, nor acknowledge that he was a prophet like Moses. Even though they were very committed to following the LAW, yet they could not put aside their preconceptions and prejudices. Why? Jesus’ answer to this is one of the most direct in the entire Bible…
John 8 ( World English Bible )
39 They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this.
41 You do the works of your father.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.”
42 Therefore Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.
44 You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and its father.
45 But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me.
46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
47 He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”
It is an unpleasant fact that Satan has blinded the eyes of many in this world as to who Jesus is ( 2 Corinthians 4:4 ) see also... Isaiah. 6:10 and John 12:40. This blindness is not really about vision, but rather the receptivity of the human heart in regards to God. Concerning the heart, in John chapter 9, Jesus says to the formerly blind man (and later to the Pharisees)…
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and finding him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
36 He answered, “Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?”
37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen him, and it is he who speaks with you.”
38 He said, “Lord, I believe!” and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those who see may become blind.”
40 Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?”
41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
Once we come to grips with the knowledge of our own sin, we will be open to getting rid of it and be more able to “hear” what Jesus wants us to do in our own lives. Because of these things, we may be just a little more equipped to help others deal with their own sin.
You know, that picture should be renamed...