If you are a dog owner, or have any experience with dogs, you know that we can learn quite a bit from them. As I was out on a walk recently with our two, I realized that they can also teach us a lot about God’s love for us.
My wife and I recently adopted a puppy (Lexi, now 8 months old), and it is truly amazing watching her experience things for the first time. When we brought her home, she had never seen stairs before. The first time, we had to carry her up and down. Then, after watching our older dog, Howie, she soon overcame her fear and was traversing up and down like a pro!
Also, soon after we brought her home in November, we had a large snowstorm. Since she was born in July, she again had never seen snow! At first, she was afraid to walk into the falling flakes. Soon afterwards, she was frolicking in the piles of snow in their pen!
I imagine that this is how God sees us. He is all-knowing, and what joy He must have when we discover things for the first time! I’m sure that He shares in that joy!
However, as with all puppies, Lexi also gets in her share of trouble. Potty training brought many ‘accidents’ that had to be cleaned up. Her youthful exuberance and energy bring ‘zoomies’ that sometimes hurt her brother… and us. My wife and I now take the mindset of stopping reacting in anger, and using these as teaching moments, helping her be the best dog she can be. When she looks like she is about to have an ‘accident’ in the house, we take her outside to the fenced-in pen. When she starts tormenting Howie, we step between them and gently (mostly) say ‘no,’ as a teaching moment. When she realizes she has displeased us, she puts her head down and nudges our leg.
I imagine that this is how God sees our consequences for our sins. He doesn’t want to punish us, He wants us to be better, in fact the best person that we can be. I think that sometimes we are like dogs inasmuch as at heart we really want to please God, but temptations sometimes get the better of us. If we train ourselves, or our children, badly, bad behavior will be the norm. If we train ourselves, or our children well, then good behavior will be the norm. That is the difference between ‘virtue’ and ‘vice’ for us. Virtuous habits build virtue, vicious (sinful) habits produce vices.
God wants nothing more for us but to be good boys and girls. To choose to follow Him. This is where we find happiness not only in this world, but in eternity. Just like a well-trained dog has a happier life than a feral, or poorly trained, one.
Our goal when we are called before Jesus should be to hear, as the Bible puts it, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Or, in dog-speak, “Good boy (or girl!)”
Have a blessed Lent!
Rev. John A. Cramer
Pastor, Holy Trinity NCC
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Kewanee Voice.
***This column is sponsored by the Kewanee Ministerial Association
