Sunday, January 30, 2011

Lessons from Dogs

God has many ways of teaching us. In fact He is teaching us all the time if we will just pay attention and listen to His voice. One of those times happened with me this morning. 


Both Heather and I were up early this morning to send off two of our close friends who came from Healing Place Church to help Healing Hands Global with strategic planning. After they loaded on the van and left I let our dogs out to have the run of the yard. We have two very active German/Australian  Shepherd pups that were donated to the ministry here at Healing Hands Global. As puppies can be rambunctious and easily excitable I was attempting to calm them down, and Heather happened to mention that they don't listen as well as they used to. This is true as I have not spent quite as much time with them over the past few weeks. So, i decided to work with them this morning. 


Of the two pups (Molly&Abigail) Molly is the more dominate one however, Abigail is the more hyper one. So to train two dogs at once can pose challenges. When I call them and tell them to sit they, both come Abby sits and Molly waits to sit between Abby and I. (She thinks she is more important.) So because I want them both to know I am the Alpha not Molly I will make her stay and call Abby in front of her sister. 


This morning I did that. As I was petting Abby I felt God say isn't that how I work too. Many times, even doing God's work, we will get so caught up in it we feel like we are in charge. God our loving father, sits us down, brings the silly hyper one out, the one no one expected and chooses them. In His loving way He says, "I'm in charge." 
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:27


Left: Abigail
Right: Molly
He did it through me and He has done it to me. The Apostle Paul had it right. He did not say, "follow me because I am great!" He was a murder! Paul said, "Follow me as I follow Christ." I pray that this is my spirit always, as I lead and follow others, that I will always remember that God is really the one in charge. When all is said and done I want to be able to say, "I followed Jesus well."
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6




No comments:

Post a Comment