It is about time that I wrote about the second best thing in the world, dogs! Most of us love dogs. There are country songs written on dogs, the dedication exhibited by us towards these creatures is pretty high. I know this because my schedule revolves around their walks between naps.
There are great many dog pictures and videos out there that can tug at our heart strings. But today, I want to focus on the image that underscores obedience. A four-legged creature with IQ lower than ours can exhibit a high degree of obedience. Why do we fall short?
To explain where we fall short, the characteristic of a dog needs to be examined. There are many bad dogs out there. We typically blame the trainers and handlers of these dogs, which is true. Dogs are not innately wired to be obedient. They must be handled in a proper way. Schedule, discipline, treats, timeouts are all part of making a dog a good dog.
All my dogs came to us as puppies. We handle them with love and care; we follow a schedule. They do not have free run of the house. They are told to do whatever needs done. If they use their free will, it is typically to get water. In short, my dogs are well disciplined, most of the time. They know by the tone of my voice, if they are in trouble or if it is time to play.
One of my dogs is exceptionally well-behaved. She watches me intently when she is not sleeping. She likes laying at my feet and anticipates that she has to go with me when I move. But she will stay put until I release her to “heel” by my side. Always on the left. When she takes her eyes off me, her ears are perked up, and she pays close attention to my voice. To top it all, when she sees me first thing in the morning, she behaves like we were apart for months. Her greetings are joyful.
Now that I raved about my dog, let me illustrate what we can learn from an obedient dog.
- Always pay attention to the one that is giving you food, shelter, safety and love.
- Never take your eyes off the one giving you instructions. How else are you to know what to do next?
- If you must take your eyes off of your Lord and Master, strain hard to listen to His voice. Without His guiding light, you will be lost.
- Stay ready at His feet, rest at His feet and rise when He expects you to.
- Do everything He commands you to do.
- Be thankful and joyful every morning when you wake up and when you are spending time with Him. He who made you is waiting to spend time with you.
If only I could give as much attention to Jesus as my dog gives me. She is a constant reminder that I will stray but once I learn to keep my “eye on the ball” I will experience pure joy.
“I have set the Lord always before me;
Psalm 16:8
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the gift of my dogs. You are seated on the throne of my life, Lord and Master of my all. Please teach me to be obedient to You. Grant me the good sense to be joyful in You and You alone. May everything I do, bring You glory. Amen.