That’s Not My Dog
As the guests entered, the dog followed closely behind. The host and hostess were immediately taken aback that the couple had brought their pet (and large at that) to dinner. “How rude!” they thought but held their tongues. As the evening progressed, the dog did what dogs do, became a general distraction and interrupted what should have been an amicable evening at every turn. As the guests were leaving, the dog made no move. Our host remarked, “Don’t forget your dog,” whereupon the male guest replied, “That’s not my dog.”
There are a multitude of things that will make life unpleasant, distract us from important issues and bring ruination if we allow them. Just like a dog out of place. And a dog doesn’t have to bite me to bother me. You know, the kind of things that are intrusive in life, not really that important but hard to get away from. Always sniffing around. We put up with things that would be better shooed off and, when things are spoiled, wonder where the uninvited pests came from and why we didn’t act sooner.
Don’t waste your life. I don’t only mean in wantonness but in triviality. Some people are more and more concerned about smaller and smaller issues that don’t matter much anyway. Some intrusive nuisance has made a victim of them, and their obsessive nature won’t let them rest. At the end of the day, heaven will not have gained or anyone’s life improved by their being right or winning an argument over nothing. Paul said to avoid circular reasoning and foolish discussions that create opportunities for strife.
It’s easy for us to get involved with pet issues that take up our time and squander resources. Of course, I’m not the one to judge every issue, but I hope you will be selective in your battles because the hand often cleaves to the sword. It’s easy for the personality to dictate even the realm of the Spirit. There are a lot of things I would redo if I could do. I don’t have any pets now- I enjoyed the ones I had, but they were expensive. With only so much money and time, I have to make sure both are well-spent.
I’m not downplaying unpleasantries and have fought my share of unwinnable battles but choose well. Over the years, my viewpoints have changed as I have understood. At the same time, the lights of Scripture have grown brighter and guided me to greater sincerity and understanding of my own worthlessness. I don’t trust human nature- yours or mine. It’s just that it’s so easy to chase fireflies and ignore other smoldering flames that aren’t quite so flashy. The ones that last longer and mean more.
When invited to a dinner-party, bring your bright smile and winsome personality, but leave your dog at home. If one shows up, make sure everyone understands it is not your best friend that is ruining everyone’s time. And don’t facilitate a beast. Lots of folks hold their tongues when someone should promote the general welfare. Some issues are important, and I know you may have thoughts that need to be heard, but, if people enjoy your company, it may be that one of them will ask, “Do you have a pet?”
Sterl
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