Strong love - lessons from a "bad"dog

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. Proverbs 26:11 (NLT)Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins. Proverbs 10:12 (NKJV) Now the end of all things is near; therefore, be serious and disciplined for prayer. Above all, maintain an intense love for each other, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:7-8 (HCSB) I tell you what; she knows how to irritate the living snot out of me. And she was so cute when we brought her home. Now she has grown up to be the biggest dog we have ever owned, but her brain has not kept pace with her body. Just this morning I walked into my garage and confetti made from a roll of shop towels covered the floor. A roll of shop towels I had purposely set up on my work bench because I thought, “If I leave this toll sitting by this jack Sweet Tea will make confetti out of.” So what does she do, besides reading my mind, she gets them off the work bench. Yup, and she also does the vomit thing you read in the proverb above, she is both dumb and dumber and disgusting. When she is confronted she does this “I am really very sorry” thing, looking all contrite, and then thinks she can weasel herself into good graces with her wet nose nuzzling my hand. Well, all I can say is that Sweet Tea can be very rancid, and that she is walking on thin ice.Things like that with a dog are one thing, but what about when it comes to people, people we love and care about. It isn’t easy to know what love looks and acts like beyond the emotion of our hearts, but in the face of repeated foolishness, of anger, of hatred, of strive, of what is and feels like constant manipulation, of wrongs, and of sins. What if things are way beyond thin ice, but so broken, and so painful that going there feels like returning to vomit, embracing senselessness, inviting frustration, a total waste?I swear (I know good preachers are not supposed to do that) that dog is trying to guilt trip me, like somehow I am responsible for all her misbehavior and destruction. She ‘s got the whole package going, the poor me face, the “I’m such an abused dog” slinky walk and saggy butt, the silent treatment, and the “I am just going to stay in this corner and not give you any affection until you feel so guilty you will apologize” gig. If she could talk she would undoubtedly use words to ratchet up the guilt trip even more. Maybe you are familiar with that spiel when it comes to people as well?When trying to figure out what love means in difficult context, what love should look like in terms of a particular person, what decisions to make without being riddled by guilt, there are some things to keep in mind:

  • Love is the way to go, don’t give up on love (1 Corinthians 13:8);
  • Love is honest, both with others and with self (1 Corinthians 13:6);
  • Love is kind, it refuses to let pain and evil to rob itself of kindness (Luke 6:35);
  • Love does say no, it doesn’t play games or let’s itself be manipulated (1 Corinthians 13:5-6)
  • Love hopes, but does not enable. (1 Corinthians 13:7, Mark 10:17-22)

To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans