living loved

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant…’ – Matthew 25:21

This is Nuka. She is our 7-year-old Mastador. And she is a good dog – like a really good dog. Sure, she slobbers. Sure, she sometimes can’t help saying hello to EVERYONE. Sure, she sometimes nips my brother-in-law in the behind with an occasional growl, but seriously, she is such a good dog. Kids can jump on her, pull her ears, try to pull her little nub of a tail, and she just lays there, takes it, and wags her nub. Good dog.

Nuka often accompanies me on my morning runs. She loves to run. When we have some free space, I let her off the leash to run and frolic and pretend like she’s going to chase a wild animal (there are several rabbits living in our yard because she isn’t chasing anything), and then as we approach town or other pets, back on the leash she goes. Some times, Nuka is just over our run altogether and as we approach home, I’ll toss her leash, command her to stay in the driveway, and I’ll finish my run mileage by running up and down our road until my watch alerts me that I’ve completed my distance. And as I run, she stands in the driveway and watches me in much anticipation to here me say “come,” but she never leaves that driveway. Up and down I go, and she just sits or stands and watches me. She doesn’t turn and go to the house. She doesn’t walk to the garage and up the sidewalk. She doesn’t sit on the porch and wait. She stands, eyes locked, ready to be called, ready for action, but obediently waiting because mom said “stay.” Good dog.

And on this particular morning, the lesson hit me. Imagine if we were that obedient to our Father. Imagine if we ran and frolicked when the Holy Spirit said “go!” Imagine if we appreciated the “leashing” when we were approaching danger or misleading and instead of fighting against His “no,” we embraced the waiting of the next opportunity for “yes.” Imagine being still as we kept our eyes on the Father and His doing while we stayed and waited in obedience for the next “yes” and “go!” Good servant.

Much like Nuka, sometimes I slobber. Sometimes I can’t help but say hello to everyone, even those who would rather I not notice. Sometimes I can’t help but growl at my brother- in-law too (just kidding). Sometimes I let people walk all over, jump on, and hurt me (my teenage son who is very playfully aggressive). But the sitting, waiting, and listening to “stay” or “go” – ouch – I am not always very good at that. My eyes always on the Father – still working on that. My complete obedience – working on that too. Does that make me a bad servant? No. It makes me a work in progress. It makes me a servant willing to keep pursuing holiness and righteousness (in all the slobber, growling, and impatience) until my day of completion. Good servant.

Nuka’s shortcomings (and annoying licking of the elbows) doesn’t make her a bad dog. Her obedience, loyalty, and pursuit of pleasing us, her people, overshadow her shortcomings and make her not just a good dog but our best dog. Our shortcomings and failures do not make us bad followers of Christ – Christ’s obedience, loyalty, and pursuit of us overshadow our failures and makes us complete in Him.

Good servant.

XOXO, Loni