Panting on a Leash

This evening I took my dog, Easton, for a walk. I figured he'd really like that considering the size, or rather lack of, of the house that we currently fit four humans and three dogs in. So here we are, man and his best friend going back to the stone age setting out on this adventure. Easton, for those who aren't in the know, is a chocolate lab (black at night though) who's still got plenty of puppy in him for being almost two years old. We start out and Easton is dragging me along by his leash, just constantly tugging. Then we hadn't even made it a full block before he saw another canine and went ballistic with hair rising up and guard dog mode in full gear (he's actually a big sissy so no worries.) Finally we settle into a good pace with plenty of slack through the leash. The walk ends up being very anti-climatic and we both made it home safely, but I had discovered a pretty astonishing thing.

The walk I just took with my dog was incredibly similar to another walk in my life, my walk with Jesus.

Only instead of the one holding the leash, I'm the one kept on the path by it. Like Easton, I keep tugging on this leash of my beliefs and just as I love my dog so I don't let him run wherever, Jesus holds onto the leash so I won't become overwhelmed by everything in the world.

Another good similarity shows up in the way Easton acts once another dog is in sight. He puffs up and barks to put on a good show, letting the other dog know that he's protecting me. In life we come across those who challenge our faith in Christ and we have to put up a guard against said challenge.

There are also things on our journey that can distract us like a squirrel coming into Easton's sight. We get amazed at such simple stuff sometimes causing us to lose focus of the main goal in life. The world catches us up in the busyness and gossip until we feel that tug on the leash.

Eventually, like Easton finally did, Jesus and I settle into a good pace, just enjoying each other's company.

Just as my canine friend trust me, I put all my trust in Jesus, knowing He's leading me back to that glorious front porch waiting with a heavenly bowl of water.

Great Revealation

We, as believers in Jesus Christ, have been blessed and anointed with the responsibility to share our faith. (Matt. 28) But if you're anything like me, this aspect of the whole Christian shin-dig is one slightly shied away from and swept under the rug. I mean, we would just hate to maybe offend somebody or throw-off their busy schedule if we ever ask them about Jesus. It's not like we were given a spirit of power or nothing. (2 Timothy 1)

I've been given a great opportunity to really branch out up at Northeastern. I'm going to be in a place with so many people and able to interact with them on a really raw level. How could I possibly be in a better situation to spread the Truth?

A few weeks back I went up to campus for two days of orientation. I got this feeling of just these other students, smart, funny, and great people, were starving for something. It was almost like whatever they had been doing so far with their life hadn't filled them up at all. Some of them knew there was something better out there for them while others still don't at the moment. After bearing witness to all this I came home with this new mission of preparing myself for the encounters with people up in Boston where I would get the chance to share my faith. Looking back now I realize God was a couple steps ahead of me in this great preparation.

I came up with the question of in my conversations with people about Jesus what should be the thing I leave them with? I thought of all sorts of good theology and whatnot but it just didn't seem like the right thing. In my time spent reading the Bible the word "love" kept coming up. It wasn't love like husband and wife, rather like neighbor and friend. It seemed like it was everywhere- Jesus' teachings, Paul's letters, John's letters, and Proverbs. Even in the way Jesus spoke it felt like there was so much love for His disciples and everyone else He came across.

Finally the light bulb went off. That was it- love. That's what all those students were missing. They just need to be loved on, shown that someone else actually cares. I'm also willing to bet that kids up in Boston aren't the only ones missing some good lovin'. Therefore I'm asking you to join me in sharing some genuine love with whoever needs it. That is in my opinion the most powerful way to share your faith with another.