Our Friday group had a diversion last week, to look at fun books of quotes about our furry pets that one member supplied, and mine was about cats.

Cats are totally self-absorbed, they have their own agenda and are not restrained by the needs of anyone else.

I understand the appropriate psychological term is a "false self ". They carry themselves with unjustified regal authority, and treat our homes as their personal dominion.
There’s also an element of intermittent approval. They will ignore you at times, which makes us value more the times when they show affection.

That makes them charming narcissists.

Narcissists may project an air of absolute confidence and freedom, qualities that may be attractive to people who are more careful and caring in outlook. Narcissists appear to not be burdened by uncertainty, it looks like strength and independence – but it just reflects a lack of empathy and a lack of emotional depth.

Dogs identify with others and give love to them, but cats like the world to revolve around them, to have love given to them.

My book had the quote, “I purr, therefore I am.”, which reflects the statement of Rene Descartes, the 17th century philosopher, of “I think, therefore I am”. His statement has become the foundation of modern Western outlook, it’s the basis for Existentialism, which claims the only things we can rely on are what the human brain thinks of.

But that is the oldest sin of Adam, of wanting to take the place of God. In Exodus 3:13-15 we read that God reveals his name to Moses as “I AM”. And when Jesus told the Jews in John 8:58, “before Abraham was, I AM”, they took up stones to kill him, because they recognised that statement as claiming to be God. So, the modern outlook founded by Descartes is the sin of Adam amplified to a high level.

The term Narcissism is derived from the Greek myth of Narcissus. When he knelt by a spring of water to drink, he saw his own reflection, and not realizing it was his own image, he became hopelessly captivated by the beauty of the face looking at him. He could neither eat nor sleep, and remained captive by the water's edge, gazing at his reflection in despair, and he wasted away and died by the pool's edge.

We can’t condemn cats for their behaviour, but humanity has been given God’s Law, and we are accountable for our choices. This Existentialist outlook of modern society leads us to justify and worship ourselves, we put ourselves in the place of God, and that example of narcissism is the disease of the modern age.
It’s very much a false image, for we cannot grow and thrive independently of God. Like Narcissus by the pool of water, without God we become shrivelled and twisted. The modern sin of worship of our own thinking only leads to misery and bitterness.

But in God’s provision, life brings falls that break that self-captivation, and remind us painfully of our dependence upon Him.

I praise God for those reminders.