The First Dog

Who is this adorable Golden Retriever pup? It's Bolt! (hi Bolt!)

Bolt is owned by a local university president and his wife. He lives in the President's home, and is a bit of an ambassador to visitors and students. Bolt is fortunate to have wonderful people taking care of him.

Bolt is easy-going, even as a puppy. He will be an excellent addition on campus. Yet Bolt is unaware of his position of being First Dog. Sometimes we think of the devoted mutt who faithfully follows the bum on the street. This dog is unaware of its position anymore than Bolt is.

Wouldn't that be a great way to go through life? Unconcerned of position? Last year I had the priviledge of spending a little time with a movie director and his family. Not only was his dog unaware of who "owned" him, but even the director's fourteen-year old daughter gave him the proverbial smack down as only a teenage girl can give her father (and still respectful, I must say).

The Bible says that the Lord is no respecter of persons. It does not matter to him what our title may be, who are parents are/were, what are tax bracket might be or what we drive. "Man sees with his eyes but God sees with his heart."

Isn't that...liberating? God doesn't care - he's given us a position through Christ that is equal to others who believe the same. Jesus says himself that we can be his "friend." Unbelievable, right?

With such love, we may desire to serve God as faithfully and humbly as the dog owned by the bum on the street. Yet God esteems us and gives us our mansion, our own First Place in his heart.