The Parable of the Cat, by James Talmage

As I prepared my Relief Society lesson on Service, I happened onto this story. It's been around for decades, but somehow, I'd missed this gem. It's beautiful and poignant. A perfect reminder.

During his daily walk, a naturalist encountered two boys with a basket near the edge of a pond. In the basket were three whining kittens; two others were drowning in the pond; and the mother cat was running about on the bank, rampant in her distress. In response to the naturalist's inquiry, the boys, respectfully, explained that their mistress had instructed them to drown the kittens, as she wanted no other cat than the mother cat, her particular pet, the boys explained.

The naturalist assured the boys that he was a personal friend of their employer, and that he would be responsible for any apparent dereliction in their obedience to her orders. He gave the boys each a shilling and took the three living kittens in charge.

The mother cat seemed to immediately recognize the man as the deliverer of her three children, who, but for him would have been drowned. As he carried the kittens, she trotted along-sometimes following, sometimes alongside, occasionally rubbing against him with grateful, yet mournful purrs. At his home, he provided the kittens with comfortable quarters, and left the mother cat in joyful content.

Next day, the gentleman was seated in his parlor, in the midst of notable company. During their visit, in walked the mother cat carrying in her mouth a large, fat mouse, not dead, but still feebly struggling under the pains of torturous capture. She laid her panting, well-nigh expiring prey at the feet of the man who had saved her kittens.

What think you of the offering and of the purpose that prompted the act? A live mouse, fleshy and fat! Within the cat's power of possible estimation and judgment, it was a superlative gift. To her limited understanding, no rational creature could feel otherwise than pleased over the present of a meaty mouse. Every sensible cat would be ravenously joyful with such an offering.

Are not our offerings to the Lord-our tithes and our other free-will gifts-as thoroughly unnecessary to His needs as was the mouse to the naturalist? But remember that the grateful and sacrificing nature of the cat was enlarged, and in a measure sanctified, by her offering.

Thanks be to God that He gages the offerings and sacrifices of His children by the standard of their physical ability and honest intent rather than by the gradation of His exalted station. Verily, He is God with us; and He, both, understands and accepts our motives and righteous desires. Our need to serve God is incalculably greater than His need for our service.