that's Mister Pusskins to you

From the moment I saw Mr Pusskin’s grumpy face scowling at me from the bookstore shelf I knew it would be a good read!  I’m not sure if the author intended Mr Pusskins to be a modern retelling of the “Prodigal Son” parable but it sure fits the bill (minus the elder son).

**plot spoiler**

Mr Pusskins is a bad, bad cat.  Emily, his owner adores him but he hates her doting on him all the time and walks out.  Though the real world brings much freedom, it proves to be a harsher place than he imagined.  Lonely Mr Pusskins remembers his lovely owner and calls out to her for help and they live happily ever after…

Jesus tells the story of the “Prodigal Son” to answer the Pharisees accusation that he eats with all the filthy sinners.  The Pharisees reveal what they think about themselves by this accusation.  They believe that they are the good guys.  The only ones worthy of a holy man’s [Jesus] time.  They rightly understand that sinners deserve nothing good from God, but they wrongly believe that they are not sinners; they are the elder son.

 

Jesus reveals in his parable that there are two types of rebels against God in this world: bad ones and good ones.  There are the Mr Pusskins of the world who go out and live a crazy life and hurt other people and like it.  And there are the elder sons/Pharisees who look down on Mr Pusskins and his ilk for their badness and pat themselves on the back for their goodness.

So how does God treat these two groups of sinners?  Just like Emily treats Mr Pusskins.  After he leaves she hunts him down until she finds him and Jesus shows that God treats sinners in a similar way through the character of the father in his story.  Instead of giving his ungrateful children what they deserve he shows them unbelievable mercy.    

When the younger son returns full of regret for his foolish life the father runs to him and welcomes him back with open arms.  When the elder son hears of it and is angry the father does not rebuke him but tells him that he is his son.  He did not have to work to earn his love; he had it already.

 Jesus came to earth, not for good people; but for sinners.  People who believe theyare well do not need a doctor, but people who know they are sick do.  When I looked deep into my heart I did not find the goodness I was hoping was there but I found a heart filled with pride, bitterness and darkness.  I’m so grateful that God does not turn away sinners but welcomes them with open arms because of His Son.  And day by day He is changing me to love Him, like Mr Pusskins now loves Emily.

For another classic about a naughty pussy cat read Chester