Dogs & Relationships

What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.  Augustine

Nature teaches us that every believer should be a soul-winner. It is an essential part of the new nature. We see it in every child who loves to tell of his happiness and to bring others to share his joys.  Andrew Murray

I love dogs.  I admit it freely that I absolutely love dogs.  When I see dogs I can’t help myself, I want to save them if they are lost, take them home if I see one on the street and basically I would be a dog hoarder but I do draw the line at bringing home every dog I see in need of rescue. 

My Mom got a new puppy recently when her dog (whom I saved in my neighborhood when he was sitting on the same street corner all day) died.  Her new puppy’s name is Blue but I call her Pistol.  Not because I like guns but because she is into everything and she has attitude.  When my Dad tells her “no” she talks back, for that matter if anyone tells her “no” she talks back.  She is growing fairly quickly but several weeks ago she was able to run under the couch when she was in trouble, but she has gotten taller so she dives under the couch and almost gets stuck.  Blue is fascinated by everything.  Her attention span is short and she is easily distracted by the things around her.    

  

As I was thinking about dogs I thought about how you can see human characteristics in them.  They crave attention and when they are abused you can tell by the reactions you get from them that they have been mistreated. They will bite if provoked and warn you of danger.  My dog has conversations with me and howls when my Mom comes to the house.

When I look at dogs I see things in them that are the very patterns that occur in our human lives.  If I discipline my dog you can tell he is heartbroken.  If I pet other dogs he knows immediately and gets jealous.  Sometimes you can tell them no and they will continue to pursue the very thing you don’t want them to do.  Sounds just like a child.

If I apply the way I treat my dog to the way I treat other people how would I measure up in God’s eyes?  Would God think I was doing a good job in the people saving department as I do in the dog saving department?  Sometimes we treat our dogs better than the people around us.  We don’t have to look far to find someone in need of a Saviour and we might just be the person that God needs to do the saving or, at the very least, point them in God’s direction.     

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I praise You for giving me examples of You in everything around me.  Help me to treat every individual as one of Your children in need of a Saviour.  Help me to be a soul winner for Your Kingdom.  

Scripture:  But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.  And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”  Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.  1 Peter 4:7-11