Our puppy, Belle, is growing into a huge dog. She's a Great Pyrenees. Centuries ago, Great Pyrenees were bred to be livestock guardian dogs in the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain. These dogs looked after sheep and protected them from predators. A noble pursuit, but it is kind of a pretentious name for a dog. I am a GREAT Pyrenees. Sounds like Belle needs some humility. Here she is atop her own diorama of the Pyrenees Mountain at our house. It's actually a pile of wood chips, but she doesn't know any better.
On Saturday, I let Belle roam in the pasture to look after her charge of cattle, goats and chickens. She ran around the perimeter, sizing up the lay of the land, walking around the boundaries and observing potential threats. Good girl, I thought. I began to work on a project and would check on her from time to time throughout the afternoon.
At one particular point I found her sitting under a tree with her big front paws outstretched. A big, fat hen was in front of her in the throes of death. Belle sat proudly, with a blanket of feathers around her. Bad girl! How could this be? A dog with the instincts of guarding animals within her DNA becomes the predator. Like the proverbial fox in the hen house. I took her out of the pasture, disappointed and a little angry.
As I took time to reflect, I calmed down and realized that this was a parable of sorts taking place. We are like the Great Pyrenees. Almighty God had great plans for us. We were made in His image and likeness to to great things. We failed. Despite having DNA equipping us to do our purpose, Adam fell and likewise we fell.
Despite having great intentions of doing good and being righteous, even, we end up finding our selves surrounded by a blanket of feathers. Feathers of destructive words that come out of our mouths, vile thoughts in our minds, vicious deeds we do to others, amongst many other examples.
Like Belle, we're "puppies." We have some growing up to do. We lose our way, revert to our past, and disappoint our Master. As a believer, I thank God that He doesn't give up on me. As we'll work with Belle, He'll work with us, instructing us in the ways He'd have us walk, through reading His Word, Prayer, and conviction of the Holy Spirit. We're in South Louisiana, barely above sea level, far away from the "Pyrenees Mountains" of Belle's ancestry. But one day, we'll once again walk on mountaintops.
The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. Habakkuk 3:19
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