Our home is in the country, so it is not unusual to find stray dogs and cats wandering around. People who have gotten tired of their pets sometimes take them for a ride into the country and push them out the car door, leaving them behind to take care of themselves. Some of these poor animals die of hunger. Others are hit by cars. Many are picked up by dog catchers. This is very sad. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 12:10,10A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. (Proverbs 12:10) “A righteous man [regards, or takes care of] the life of his beast.”
Buffy was a dog that wandered into our neighborhood one day. She had no collar on, so no one knew what her name was or to whom she belonged.
Buffy fared better than most of the other strays. She was not only a cute dog, but she was also smart. She always looked both ways before crossing the road, she had remarkable ways of getting food, and because she was a friendly dog the neighborhood children soon loved her. All the children wanted to have her for their own pet. But our neighbor’s daughter, who already had a dog, talked her dad and mom into adopting the stray dog. She bought her a new collar and named her Buffy.
Buffy had more freedom than most dogs in our neighborhood. Where we live, dogs are not supposed to run loose, but Buffy was not tied up or fenced in. She was free to play games with the children and walk with them to the bus stop each morning.
For a while all went well. Then we began to notice some of the bad habits Buffy had. Our dog, Bandit, was kept locked in her pen. We discovered that Buffy could climb over the fence into Bandit’s pen as easily as a monkey. There, she would eat Bandit’s food. But when she saw us coming, she would quickly climb out and go right to her own home. It was bad enough having our dog’s food stolen each day, but soon things got even worse, because Bandit learned from Buffy and was soon climbing over the fence herself. Bandit was not as smart with her freedom as her street-wise friend. She soon disappeared and never returned home. Shortly after, we learned that her new owners’ other dog, Sugar, had learned from Buffy how to climb out of her pen, too. Sadly, Sugar’s freedom soon ended. She was hit and killed by a passing car.
Buffy caused problems with other neighbors, also, who talked unhappily about her bad habits. Then one day Buffy was gone. I wondered what had happened to her, but I didn’t find out for quite a while. Then one day, while I was walking through the woods, I saw the skeleton of a dog. There was black dog hair scattered around and the skeleton had a collar on the neck that looked familiar. After a few questions to some neighbors, I learned that what I had guessed was true — Buffy’s life had ended.
Death is a very sad thing, even for animals. God didn’t originally make people or animals to die, because He is good. But when Adam disobeyed God, sin and death came into the world. Even now, if we disobey our parents or God, bad things happen. The Bible says, “There is a way which [seems] right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:1212There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)). This is a good verse to remember. Sometimes it seems hard to be obedient and to walk God’s way, but it is worth it in the end. God’s way is the only truly happy way to live. The Bible tells us that it is “good, and acceptable, and perfect” (Romans 12:22And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)). The life of obedience to God is also the only safe one, and it ends in wonderful joy and pleasures that will last forever. “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:1111Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)).
Messages of God’s Love 4/28/2024