Who knew all we needed to unite together was a short-spined raccoon affectionately named Jimothy?
Like the rest of y’all, I’ve fallen head over heels for that precious lump of goodness. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, check this out. Basically, Jimothy is a raccoon with a deformity known as short spine syndrome.
“What happens is that the the spine does not develop normally, and so it develops very shortened,” said Marcie Logsdon, a clinical associate professor at Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. “Oftentimes, the vertebrae are just very misshapen and very shortened, and so what we end up with is this very truncated appearance, where, you know, everything from head to tail is just much shorter than it should be.”
She told the Seattle Times: “The fact that he’s made it to this age tells me that he’s managing and that he’s adapting. I was surprised and honestly a little bit inspired that he’s that resilient.”
Seattle residents have been tracking the furry beast for just over a year, and now the whole Internet has fallen in love.
Related: This Is the Cutest 1st Birthday You’ve Ever Seen
Jimothy’s clearly beaten the odds, and in doing so, has stolen hearts — mine included. But more than my fascination with a precious critter, it reminds me of five biblical lessons that encourage me in times of doubt:
- “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” – Psalm 139:4. This chapter goes into great detail of how intentionally we are created, how God knit us together. We aren’t freaks of nature. We aren’t accidents. We aren’t mistakes. We are wonderful. Full stop.
- “ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13. This verse is often taken out of context to inspire us to do the insurmountable, but Paul spends the verses before explaining how he’s content with having everything and having nothing. We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength because He teaches us how to be content with our circumstances. Jimothy isn’t out there whining about how he doesn’t have a full spine. Nope. He’s digging through the trash, scaling fences and climbing trees, not letting his circumstances hold him back.
- “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16. Sweet Jimothy inspires everyone by just going about his day-to-day life. He’s not waiting on a microphone or a platform or a social media following. He’s just bebopping around, bestowing joy upon all who see him. That should be my goal, too.
- “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” – Philippians 4:6. How often do I freak out about things like money, relationships, parenting, working? Newsflash — it’s by the hour. Jimothy? It’s like he’s never worried a day in his life. He doesn’t let life’s pressures hold him down. Instead, he gets up every morning — erm, night? — and goes about his business, just enjoying what’s in store.
- “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Matthew 6:25-27. This is the verse that I’ve thought of the most as I watch Jimothy frolic. It’s the culmination of each of these verses, as it highlights the simplicity of enjoying who God made you to be. The weight of the world isn’t on his shoulders, he’s completely dependent on God to meet his needs. It’s a beautiful joy that I want others to see in me, too.
So that’s it. That’s the post. We’re all rooting for Jimothy because he reminds us of what life can be when we surrender to God’s plans for our lives.
Read Next: Meet Hamish, the Nashville Zoo’s Cute New Highland Calf!
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
