I must have needed a concrete object lesson to show me who I am to God. So God gave me a puppy. Oh, she’s so cute. But, being a puppy, her natural inclination is to bite. She also wants to make friends with the cat. She wiggles up to the cat and licks her tail. The cat does not appreciate this! So she moves away. Molly tries to mollify the cat by getting very low to the ground and licking her some more, but she can’t help herself: she bites the cat’s fur. The cat puts up with it for just so long and then, she vacates the premises, often speedily. Uh-oh. What was a conciliatory puppy is now an attentive, ears up, energetic puppy who thinks the cat is engaging in a very satisfactory game: tag. And they’re off to the nearest place the cat can find to escape Molly’s overtures. I’m never like that, am I? Rubbing people the wrong way in my natural inclination and exuberance? Hmm. I might need to be more aware of how others are perceiving my actions.
It’s tricky teaching a puppy to come when they are called, especially if she is engaged in chasing the cat, if she thinks she’s in trouble, or if she thinks I might put her in that scary car. She doesn’t always trust me. I’m making food for her, taking her for walks, keeping her clean, watching out for owls and UPS trucks, taking her out in the middle of the night - but she hasn’t learned to trust me all the time. Do I treat God like that? God provides all that I need. He even gave His Son to pay for my sinfulness. Do I trust God despite the scary situations I find myself in? Do I try to hide from Him when I’ve sinned?
Thankfully I have a well-behaved older dog that Molly is content to imitate. Pepper comes when he’s called. When he helps himself to Molly’s bone, he’ll actually drop it and leave it when I tell him to - if I catch him quickly enough. I’m quite well aware that Pepper is a huge help in Molly’s training. Hmm. It’s a good reminder that iron sharpens iron. We can exhort and encourage each other in the Lord and our relationship with Him can grow more robustly, if we fellowship with believers.
Pepper and the cat have been incredibly gentle with this puppy of teeth, a tail, and persistent exuberance. We brought Molly home when she was 3 lbs. 5.2 oz. Either the dog or the cat could have dispatched her speedily. But they didn’t. However, they have become gradually more aggressive in their discipline because she needs it! I think God is similarly gracious in disciplining us. When we’re a new Christian, He is very gentle. (Think of God not wanting the Israelites to face war immediately upon leaving Egypt lest they become discouraged and turn back.) But as our rebellion persists, God increases the consequences. And I suspect He allows (or arranges) circumstances and people around us to discipline us. It’s a much better approach than instant lightning bolts for every infraction - especially to get us to where He wants us: obedience out of love. So the next time someone is irritating me, I’d better think seriously about what lesson it is that God has prepared for me instead of just becoming annoyed.
And then there’s the garden. In order to keep the critters at bay, Ron and I have an electric fence around it. I have been diligent to turn it off when Molly is around; I doubt she would appreciate the shock, especially since her first inclination is to chew on the wire. Sigh. How many times does God protect us from our own bad choices - without us even realizing what He has done?! I suspect, if we knew just how much protection and provision we receive, we would be overwhelmed with His graciousness to us.
I’m so very glad that God gave me a puppy. (Thanks, Sam, too!) It’s caused a lot of introspection - and I’m very grateful that God has prepared my heart to be ready to do that too. God is good all the time . . . Gotta go. I have to rescue my slipper. . . .
It’s tricky teaching a puppy to come when they are called, especially if she is engaged in chasing the cat, if she thinks she’s in trouble, or if she thinks I might put her in that scary car. She doesn’t always trust me. I’m making food for her, taking her for walks, keeping her clean, watching out for owls and UPS trucks, taking her out in the middle of the night - but she hasn’t learned to trust me all the time. Do I treat God like that? God provides all that I need. He even gave His Son to pay for my sinfulness. Do I trust God despite the scary situations I find myself in? Do I try to hide from Him when I’ve sinned?
Thankfully I have a well-behaved older dog that Molly is content to imitate. Pepper comes when he’s called. When he helps himself to Molly’s bone, he’ll actually drop it and leave it when I tell him to - if I catch him quickly enough. I’m quite well aware that Pepper is a huge help in Molly’s training. Hmm. It’s a good reminder that iron sharpens iron. We can exhort and encourage each other in the Lord and our relationship with Him can grow more robustly, if we fellowship with believers.
Pepper and the cat have been incredibly gentle with this puppy of teeth, a tail, and persistent exuberance. We brought Molly home when she was 3 lbs. 5.2 oz. Either the dog or the cat could have dispatched her speedily. But they didn’t. However, they have become gradually more aggressive in their discipline because she needs it! I think God is similarly gracious in disciplining us. When we’re a new Christian, He is very gentle. (Think of God not wanting the Israelites to face war immediately upon leaving Egypt lest they become discouraged and turn back.) But as our rebellion persists, God increases the consequences. And I suspect He allows (or arranges) circumstances and people around us to discipline us. It’s a much better approach than instant lightning bolts for every infraction - especially to get us to where He wants us: obedience out of love. So the next time someone is irritating me, I’d better think seriously about what lesson it is that God has prepared for me instead of just becoming annoyed.
And then there’s the garden. In order to keep the critters at bay, Ron and I have an electric fence around it. I have been diligent to turn it off when Molly is around; I doubt she would appreciate the shock, especially since her first inclination is to chew on the wire. Sigh. How many times does God protect us from our own bad choices - without us even realizing what He has done?! I suspect, if we knew just how much protection and provision we receive, we would be overwhelmed with His graciousness to us.
I’m so very glad that God gave me a puppy. (Thanks, Sam, too!) It’s caused a lot of introspection - and I’m very grateful that God has prepared my heart to be ready to do that too. God is good all the time . . . Gotta go. I have to rescue my slipper. . . .
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