“A 4-year-old stray cat that was rescued from the streets of Rome has inherited a $13 million fortune from its owner, the wealthy widow of an Italian property tycoon. Maria Assunta left the fortune to her beloved kitty Tommaso when she died two weeks ago at the age of 94. The feline's new-found riches include cash, as well as properties in Rome, Milan and land in Calabria. As her health began to fail two years ago, Assunta, who had no children, began to seek out a way to see that Tommaso was properly cared for after she died. In November 2009, she bequeathed her entire estate to the alley cat that she'd rescued. Initially, Assunta had instructed her attorneys to "identify an animal welfare association or group to which to leave the estate and the commitment of looking after Tommaso," according to the Daily Telegraph. Unable to find a satisfactory association to see to it that Tommaso was loved and cared for, Assunta decided to leave all her money to the cat via her nurse, Stefania, who cared for her until her dying day” (Kevin Dolak, ABC News Blog, 12-12-11).
My initial reaction to this article was negative. Why would anyone leave an inheritance to an animal? How can a cat be worthy of such a gift? Wouldn’t the money be better used for something else? But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I am a lot like that cat. God has shared an incredible inheritance with me but I am so unworthy of such a gift. Others could look at me and wonder why God would be so generous with a sinner like me. Aren’t there better things that God could do with His resources?
Thankfully, qualifying for God’s inheritance doesn’t depend on my own merits. If it did, I would be in trouble. My only hope is to be made eligible on the merits of Christ. It is God who qualifies me to share in the inheritance of the saints of light (Colossians 1:12).
God loves you!
Mike
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