A Lesson on Loyalty

Hank, my 7-year old rotweiller, is actually a pretty laid back dog. Cody and I have kept him socialized with kids ever since he was a puppy, and as a result, he has no clue as to his potential. I realize I am at least somewhat biased but he is one of the sweetest and most gentle dogs I have known. Another wonderful trait about Hank that I absolutely love is his loyalty. I will give you an example. As is the case with most dogs I suppose, Hank loves to eat. I usually feed him in the mornings before I go to work. If I am running late, he slides his pan on the patio concrete to remind me that he wants to eat. And when I do get out there with his food, he goes nuts. It is one of the most exciting times of the day for him.

Well, last Friday morning morning I was outside working on my lawn mower, trying to get it to start (another completely different story altogether). Usually when I am outside Hank is right there with me. But before I went to my lawn mower, I fed him. He was his usual excited self, of course. And then I got curious. As I was by my lawn mower, I called for him while he was eating. And he immediately came. His food no longer mattered. I petted him and played with him a little. And of course, he was enjoying my attention. He would periodically look back at his food he left behind, but there was absolutely no way he was going back to his food pan. When I started back to working on my lawn mower, he sat there by me. As much as he loves to eat, Hank was much more interested in what I was able to give him emotionally. That makes him much happier.

Now, I don’t want to necessarily compare us to dogs, but what a tremendous lesson on commitment and loyalty. We too have a Master. He gives us spiritual food, which is much more important than physical nourishment (Matthew 4:4). Jesus tells us that when our loyalty is to Him and His kingdom, then our needs will be met (Matthew 6:33). Do we live in such a way that demonstrates this kind of faith? Hank trusted that he would eat. He knew I was going to take care of Him. He has faith in me as his master that his needs are going to be taken care of. And that is exactly why he would much rather spend his time with me. He is committed to me. And it makes me feel good, just as it pleases God when He comes first in our lives. Hank is not perfect. But he is loyal and faithful. Do we see the connection? There is no doubt in my mind that I take priority over anything else in his life. Can God claim the same of us?

I think the words of the psalmist are appropriate here:

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act” (Psalm 37:3-5).

Have a good weekend and for all of the mothers out there, I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day!