The Tale of Two Doggies

I have two dogs.

Oh, are they ever so very different. I would like to tell you about them if you would be so inclined as to give ear to listen. The first dog I will tell you about is our border collie, Asher. The second will be our beagle, Steven.

THE TALE OF THE SUBMISSIVE BORDER COLLIE

Once upon a time, there was a woman who raised sheep. She didn't much like her sheep because they wouldn't go where she desired them to go. Her shepherding style resembled Little Bo Peep more than Mary with her little lamb. She decided that she would like a shepherding dog to help her round up her sheep and direct them where she wanted them to go.

She found a wee male puppy that was black all over with white paws and a white muzzle. He was a border collie, and border collies are very well known to have natural sheep-herding abilities. With almost no training, this puppy decided to be housebroken and to follow his master wherever she went. Wandering away was out of the question. He was loyal, obedient, and very smart. His favorite place to be was right by his master's side, learning the ways of handling the animals.

This puppy was named 'Asher'. Asher is a Hebrew name that means 'to lead to prosperity' because that is what the woman wanted for her sheep, and she wanted the dog to help her. Some name books will tell you it means 'happy', and this is also true. This was the happiest dog you could ever meet. When strangers came to visit, Asher would stand on his rear legs and wrap his arms around them. He would squeeze and give loving hugs. He loved everybody! There was never anything more important in his life than serving his master and loving others and learning new things. What a good dog!

THE RECALCITRANT BEAGLE

Once upon a time, there was a beagle running down a freeway. She was full of puppies and had no collar. A woman saw her and took pity on her. She cared for the momma dog until she gave birth. She had five puppies and promptly abandoned them. She disappeared without a trace. The woman was then left to care for all five puppies; giving them milk and puppy mash and teaching them all how to potty outside.

One little puppy stayed with the woman while all others had other fates. He was white with brown spots and was named Steven. Steven was very, very smart and he knew it. Any fence that was ever set up, he could climb out of. He even learned to scale a six foot chain link fence. Any weak spot of any property was quickly discovered and used. No walls could contain this dog. He could twist and wriggle his body to fit through any hole, seemingly irrelevant of size. He did as he pleased and answered to no one unless it suited him. He didn't exactly hate strangers, but he would bark and snarl and let them know that his little body was there and he wouldn't suffer any guff from them.

Oh, he would act submissive...but he wasn't. He would cringe and crawl and creep; rolling over to show his belly with his little body trembling...but he was really rebelling on the inside. He was often referred to as 'slinker and stinker...the smeagol beagle' in reference to Lord of the Rings. Uncannily, he actually also had a perpetual stink. If you were to give him a bath in the most gorgeous, fragrant oils, he would smell like the oils...and nasty dog funk.

He would at random attack the submissive border collie (see above tale) and pummel him into the dirt. Asher would yelp and cry and Steven would growl and snap. He was a true prodigal; wandering off at will, returning only for comfort and food, and abusing whoever he felt he could control.

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Why do I tell these tales? Well, because I'm certain you're getting a picture of two kinds of people. There are the people who are 'sold out to Jesus' the way that Asher is sold out to me. Then there are people who put on a show of it and act like rebellious pagans when it suits them. Often, I reflect on these two heart attitudes when I feel a distance from God. I know that when I'm unkind to someone, that's the 'Steven' in me and when acting with the grace of God, I know it's the 'Asher' in me.

"God's power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through our knowing the One who called us to his own glory and goodness. By these he has given us valuable and superlatively great promises, so that through them you might come to share in God's nature and escape the corruption which evil desires have brought into the world."- 2 Peter 1:3-4