The medium-sized dog with a black coat and white grizzle around its muzzle had seen better days. Over the years cataracts had formed in his eyes, and he was now completely blind. His master had recently died and left him alone in his apartment. When no one came to claim the dog, the manager of the apartment building shoved the dog into the back seat of the car and drove into the Bosnian countryside. It was late fall and getting cold. They drove by several farmhouses until they came to a big field that had been plowed over and was now just empty furrows of mud. The driver checked to see if anyone was watching, then stopped the car and pushed the old dog out of the back seat. Quickly the man drove off without looking back.
The blind dog wandered through the cold field looking for food or a friend. As the dog meandered through the field, he came to the edge of an empty well and stumbled in. The well was a shaft, 3 feet wide and 25 feet deep. Alone and friendless, the dog was trapped in the bottom.
A Worse Trap
It’s sad when anyone loses their sense of sight and becomes blind, but the spiritual blindness that is afflicting many people is far worse. In their spiritual blindness, they are not able to see the truth of a God who loves them and would send His Son to save them.
The blind dog never saw the hole in front of him and fell into the well. The spiritually blind never see the dangerous pitfalls in front of them either. The worst pitfall in front of them is that those who continue in their sins will one day be cast headlong into the dark, deep pit of hell from which there will be no return. This fall will take them by surprise, because they didn’t see it coming. But God says, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)). The Lord Jesus is the great physician of souls, and He can restore spiritual sight to those who have lost it.
Help
The following morning, children wrapped in winter coats and holding books under their arms were walking down the road on their way to school when they heard the whimpering of an animal coming from the empty field. They went to investigate and found the open well. Looking over its edge, they could barely make out the form of a black dog with white patches on its eyes. The hearts of the children went out to the poor animal. They knew they could never reach the dog to pull it out, but realizing the dog must be hungry, they dropped parts of their lunches into the well so it wouldn’t starve. Then every day for the next three months they would drop table scraps to the trapped dog: bones with a little bit of meat attached or crusts of bread. Trapped in a dark, damp well, with scraps to eat, the dog was barely surviving.
Do you know that souls who remain in their sins are missing out on a lot of good too? God reserves His best blessings for those who love and obey Him. To those who love God, it’s His delight to pour out a wonderful knowledge of Himself. Compared to this knowledge, fame, pleasures, and the riches of this world are nothing but meager scraps. If you want to know the fullness of life and joy, then you need to believe with all your heart on the Lord Jesus who said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:1010The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)). Why go through life eating nothing but scraps when God promises a feast of good things to those who love Him? Our hearts were meant to live by continually feeding on God’s goodness and love. “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst” (John 6:3535And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)).
Rescue
After three months, word finally reached an animal rescue organization, based in a distant city, about the dog’s trouble. They sent out two young men with extensive rock climbing experience to the site. One of the young men attached a strong rope to a climbing belt around his waist, and with the assistance of his partner and a few local farmers, he was slowly lowered into the shaft of the well. At last his feet made contact with the bottom of the well.
The rescue worker didn’t stand at the top of the well and yell down, “Climb out in your own strength,” or, “Use your legs and jump out of there.” No, he came right down to where the dog was trapped in order to help. Thank God, we have a Saviour who came down from heaven to this earth to help us right where we were. If God had only spoken from heaven and promised forgiveness to all who believe, that would have been a great favor. But God did so much more. He became a man and, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, came to earth. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” (1 John 1:11In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)). The one who spoke a word and the world leaped into existence walked as a man among men. And as a man, He went to the cross and died for sinners. His death has infinite value to cancel out our sins.
The message He wants delivered to every man, woman and child is not, “Keep My law and live,” or, “Save yourselves by your own strength,” but it is, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). God can offer free salvation to every soul because of what the Lord Jesus did on the cross. Are you a sinner ... lost, blind, foul, starving, undone, and fallen into a pit of sin and misery? Don’t be afraid. Tidings of great joy are sent to you. Christ died in your place, and the moment you genuinely believe on Him, He will pardon your sin and give you a new life. Then He will be with you to help you all the way through this life, until you reach heaven.
Once the rescue worker reached the bottom of the well, he put a jacket on the dog. The jacket had a hook which the man attached to a rope. His partner then gently hoisted the dog to the top of the well. The dog seemed content to be in the company of people again. In the photographs taken at the time, he looked contented being held in the arms of one of the rescue workers. I wish I could tell you that the old blind dog found a family of humans to live with, but I can’t. I just don’t know. But I can tell you that God promises salvation and an everlasting home in heaven to all those who believe on the name of His Son. Will you bow your heart and mind to the Lord Jesus and receive Him as your Saviour?
The dog knew it was trapped, but many people don’t know that they are. Find out why in Modern Slavery.