Be More Dog

It's a few years now since Orange launched its inspired ad campaign telling us all to “be more dog”, so perfectly pitched at Britain, a nation of confirmed dog-lovers. As well as being a very successful promotional tool for them, they also inadvertently, or perhaps 'advertently', hit on a real spiritual truth. As a passionate dog-lover and owner myself, I am very aware that my own pampered pooch has a great deal to teach me about how I can relate to Father God and my attitude to life in general.

1. “Trust in the Lord with all your Heart” (Proverbs 3:5)

The first and most obvious lesson comes from her absolute devotion to and trust in me. It is complete and unwavering and, fortunately for her, it is not misplaced – I love her dearly and do my best to take care of her. However, I know that her devotion does not depend on my actions and that she would be just as devoted and trusting if I treated her badly. Unfortunately, dogs rarely get the chance to choose their owners, but we, on the other had, are able to choose who, or what, we put our trust in. If you take the time to consider the plight of neglected and mistreated dogs, it will perhaps bring home to you how important a choice this is and to think about where exactly you have placed this trust – for, without a doubt, you have placed it somewhere, even if you have never consciously made the decision!

I am happy to say, after 30+ years of placing my trust in the God who created the world and everything in it and who sent His Son, Jesus to die on a cross for me, I know that trust is not misplaced. He has given us many promises through His Living Word, the Bible – promises that reveal His true nature, His unwavering devotion to us His children – and, if you make the choice to walk His path, you will find, as I have done, that they make for a firm foundation. If you're interested in finding out more about the promises God makes in the Bible, here's a link.

2. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)

There is nothing my little doggy likes more than snuggling up alongside me on the sofa – she wants to be with me and she'll stay there for hours while I'm working on the laptop or watching TV. If I go into another room, she follows me and if she can't sit beside me wherever I am, then she'll curl up somewhere close. I don't need to be giving her attention or playing with her, she is content as long as she is near me. For me, the verse above is saying exactly that – God says to us: “Stop doing for a moment and just be with me.” He wants nothing more than to bless us with His presence – for us to rest in His perfect peace. He created us to be in relationship with Him – in Genesis 3:8 God was taking a walk in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the evening and, obviously, was expecting Adam and Eve to join him, most likely because this was a regular thing they did together. We have a yearning within us to comune with our Creator in this way – to be accepted by the One who knows us intimately – and He yearns for the same thing.

3. “Wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14)

If there's one thing a domestic dog has to learn, it is to wait for its owner. There are always times when we have to go out and leave our dogs “home-alone” and they must wait for us to return. My dog has learned to use those times to catch up on some zzz's – since she can't do anything else, she sleeps the time away until we return. If we have learnt to trust absolutely, as in point one, then we accept that God knows what He is doing and that His timing is perfect, so the logical next step is to learn to wait in perfect peace.

4. “Ask and you will receive” (John 16:24)

Having said my dog knows when she has to just settle down and wait for me, she certainly is not afraid to ask for the things she wants. She makes it abundantly clear when she is ready for her food, when she wants to play with her ball and that she thinks that pizza really should be doggy food. When it comes to things that she is confident she can expect, such as her food, she has no problem being persistent – for instance, she will sometimes sit in the kitchen and bark non-stop until she gets our attention and someone comes to feed her. In the verse above, as in the parable of the Persistent Widow, God gives us permission to be persistent in our petitions – when we get to know His heart through His Word, we can confidently and persistently ask our loving Heavenly Father to step in, knowing that He always hears us.

5. “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

And finally, we come to the lesson dogs can teach us that Orange based its advertising on, ie the way they throw themselves whole-heartedly into everything they do. Watching my dog chase a stick, you would think it was the best thing to do in the whole world and the way she throws herself into protecting her garden demonstrates real commitment, especially considering she is only 15 inches high – a fact which doesn't seem to deter her in the slightest! Never forget: in ALL things God is able to bless us ABUNDANTLY – in ALL things “we are more than conquerers” - and in ALL things “God works for the good of those who love Him.” (Romans 8:37 and 8:28) In ALL THINGS! If we really get hold of that truth, we too will whole-heartedly throw ourselves into ALL that we do!