On Dogs and Christmas
As the director of this organization it would be completely inappropriate and unprofessional for me to publicly say that I have a favorite Hangar group to attend personally. I would never do that. But between you and I, if I had to, it would definitely be Cole Barlow’s group of “back porch boys” that meet every Tuesday night out in the Oakfield subdivision.
Before you get offended, please know that my thought process is pretty thorough. It has very little to do with the leadership or anything lacking at other groups. At the end of the day, their group just has a big, thick headed labrador retriever. And gentleman, I’m a sucker for a lab.
I have a yellow lab myself, a seven year old girl named Charlie that I spend every day with. No discredit to those close to me, but she is undoubtedly my best friend. It wouldn’t be dramatic to say that if I thought I could feel the same way about children that I do this dog, we’d have a house full by now.
My dog loves to throw her ball. She loves to ride in my old Land Cruiser. She loves to take naps on a Sunday afternoon. She loves to play with our friend’s kids when they come over. I love all those things too.
Charlie just loves to love things.
I was reminded of her this week when the pastor started his sermon in Luke chapter 16. If you know me, I typically lean skeptical when it comes to a man behind a pulpit, but any person that can connect the scriptures to the nature of a dog has my attention. I’m learning to like that man more than I thought I might.
He took time to examine the innate empathy that dogs seem to naturally possess. They aren’t as nuanced as we try to be, things can simply be good or bad. And people are generally good. They notice things that we don’t.
If we stop at an intersection, my dog notices people that I don’t.
Working in churches for the past ten years, I’m ashamed to say that I was not necessarily taught to be on the lookout for those in need - be it financially or just poor in spirit. We feel the need instead to accumulate followers.
I tend to be blind to poverty and fascinated by programming. It’s embarrassing really, and I’m working on it, but it’s the current culture of communal worship. If you attend somewhere that prioritizes the poor or hurting, then congratulations for finding something very rare and valuable.
In reality, Jesus appears to be able to handle his own follower count. And from what I read, it seems that attending to someone’s needs may be the most effective way to get people to consider following anyway.
Forget financially. Just learning to listen well can potentially be very powerful. When Jesus baptized someone, he knew their story. Before forgiving their sins he was well acquainted with their anguish. He knew their needs. Can we say the same?
I really like the way David summarizes the heart of God:
Who is like the Lord our God— the one enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap in order to seat them with nobles—with the nobles of his people. He gives the childless woman a household, making her the joyful mother of children. Hallelujah!
Psalm 113:5-9 (CSB)
This communicates clearly that our cares actually greatly concern God. He sees the poor man. He sees a weeping woman. He sees us, even before we even have words to worship. He gives us people and a place.
What a gift. May we see people the way that he does.
Now, naturally we should point this thought towards the manger all those years ago and lucky for us, even his entrance into the world exemplifies this point.
You see Jesus is dedicated and devoted to loving those in need. Emotional need, physical need, financial need, nutritional need, spiritual need. So much so that given the choice he decided to be born into an impoverished situation. God’s plan came before those prophets of the Old Testament, he chose to build a template for loving God by loving those who are struggling.
His heart for us outdates history.
Maybe a good question to ask ourselves in this season is what we are dedicated and devoted to? As I annually loop back to the beginning of the gospel in this time, it seems to demand a lot of gratitude and generosity.
Not a life where we feel the need to wage war on excess necessarily, but one where we share our experience with someone who could use it. Happily including those around us in the parts of this year that we love most. Sometimes it’s as easy as listening or laughing with someone and letting them fix a plate with the family.
A life more like the one my dog lives. It’s simple but it’s strong.
And as men who are dedicated to unashamedly pursuing strength as we spiritually mature, let’s learn to listen to the needs of those around us.
Merry Christmas, Hangarmen. And if your kids don’t have a dog, then buy them a labrador. They’ll be better for it.
