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Dogsitting A lesson on grace by Audrey Armstrong I used to hate dogs and was scared to death of them. In fact, I once cried when a dachshund barked at me while I was riding my bike (I was 15 years old). So I don't know what possessed me to agree to dogsit for people the entire summer. I took care of nine dogs last summer, and half of them liked to sleep in bed with me. There is nothing more annoying than waking up to a dog sitting on your head and licking your face, especially if that dog is a Dalmatian-Great Dane mix. However, I had found myself becoming somewhat attached to dogs, even finding a few of them sweet and endearing. Until "Poopsie" (the name has been changed to protect the innocent). "Poopsie" is a fun 2-year-old lab who likes to play and snores in her sleep. She also hates to listen and refuses to do anything I ask unless I bribe her with some kind of treat. "Poopsie" has a much older sister who has to be helped outside and inside because she can't get up and down the stairs. So there I was, lifting the older dog up the stairs when I looked out to see "Poopsie" eating the other dog's poop. I tried to yell at her to stop, but she just ignored me and kept right on eating. I, being completely grossed out by this, flipped out. I started ranting and raving and yelling "I hate you, you stupid poop-faced dog!" Of course, "Poopsie" decided to try to ease my anger by licking me, which only made me more angry and grossed out. I shut her out of the house and refused to talk to her or even look at her. I was feeling very mature at this point. Finally I decided to call a truce and let the dog back in. I still wouldn't let her get within three feet of me, but she was allowed to sit in the same room. I was feeling kind of sorry for yelling at her and getting angry and was almost ready to apologize, until I found her drinking from the toilet ... which someone had forgotten to flush. Freak-out scene number two. I made poor "Poopsie" drink two cups of water to flush her mouth out, eat a bone to get rid of the scent, and then back outside she went. This time I was furious. How could this dog be so gross? Did she do this to me on purpose just to make me sick and mad?! And what made her think she could come crawling back, tail wagging, and I would forgive her? As I contemplated my contempt for this dog, it suddenly hit me how much I'm like her. No, I don't drink pee out of a toilet or eat poop, but what about all the filthy sin in my life — the gossip, the pride, the self-righteousness, the self-centeredness? What about those times when I completely ignore God and willingly disobey, even when I know the right thing to do? To God, this stuff is just as horrible and gross. But thank goodness God isn't like me; He doesn't yell "I hate you" or "You're so disgusting." Instead, He sees all my filth, all my disgusting habits and sins, and He loves me. He sent Jesus to die on a cross for me to take away the filth, to make me clean and pure. So when I come back "head down, tail wagging" so to speak, my Father welcomes me, and He forgives me. "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved." Ephesians 2:4-5 Thank you, "Poopsie," for reminding me of God's grace and love. |
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