The dog barks…
And barks…
And growls.
Straining at his leash…
Running toward anyone who comes close.
He is Territorial by nature.
And very uncomfortable in this wide-open space…
With his territory constantly invaded by people and cars.
I walk toward the woman at the other end of the leash.
The dog strains toward me…
His front legs coming off the ground as the leash stops him.
I call to the woman… “You have your dog with you today.”
(Well, that was certainly a brilliant conversation starter, I think to myself.)
I see her often.
She stands at this same spot most days, holding a cardboard sign and asking for money.
She’s never had the dog with her before.
Being careful to stand just beyond the range of the dog’s leash, I ask, “How’s it going today?”
“Not very good,” she says.
“I thought it would be great,” she continues.
“My friend Jimmy says whenever he brings his dog, he has a really great day.”
“People stop to pet the dog and leave money.””
I’ve seen Jimmy and his dog.
His dog is an older Collie…
Who lays quietly at his feet….
Looking up with big sad eyes…
And whimpering slightly whenever someone bends to pet her.
The woman’s dog is still barking at me…
I wave and move on….
Thinking that she has heard jimmy’s words about the value of a dog…
But missed his meaning…
Thinking there’s a big difference for all of us
between hearing what someone says…
And understanding what they mean.
An that’s when I realized that this tale of two dogs has a spiritual implication…
It carries a message about understanding God …
How often have we read God’s words…
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
But missed his wisdom?
Wisdom freely available…
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7
How often have we quarreled over the meaning of the words we read…
Forgetting that the Bible tells us…
…not to quarrel about words… 2 Timothy 2:14-16
And forgetting that the key to understanding God …
Lies in understanding Who He is…
And who He wants us to be…
…God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:16
