Christian Living

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Stepping Up For God
©
by

Stephen A. Peterson


A Native American legend has it that on a hot summer afternoon two brave hunters went about their business of hunting game to feed members of their families as well as the tribe. Accompanying the two men was their trusty dog. Outside of their families and tribal members, this dog was considered as valuable a relationship as the two men had.

While on the hunt, the dog fell into one of the traps meant for a rabbit. The two hunters heard the loud, desperate barks of the dog and came running to his rescue. Within minutes, they went to work to lift their companion out of the hole but to no avail. After carefully assessing the situation and discussing their options, the hunters grieved but came to the joint conclusion that they could not safely get the dog out of the trap without strangling him to death or breaking his legs or back. Instead, the hunters said a brief prayer to the Almighty over the dog, thanked the dog for his service to them and the community, then they called members of the tribe together and told them what had happened. It was decided that they most gracious act that could be done would be to bury the trusty dog to put him out of his misery with as little pain as possible.

Initially, the dog barked and jumped frantically as he tried to free himself from the trap. Women, old men and children began the process of dumping baskets of soil into the trap. As the soil struck the dog’s head, a thought came to the dog. Every time a basket of soil landed on his head, he should shake it off and step up.

“Yes! Yes! said the dog to himself. “I have nothing to lose. Either I will step up and let this dirt hit my head; get dirty or I can just lie here and die. I don’t care how much this hurts, I can survive this! I can do it!” As the soil pounded and pounded his head, the dog said over and over, “I can do this! I can do this!”

All during the afternoon and into the early evening, the dog endured constant blows of soil, rocks and small tree limbs hitting him about the head. Yet in spite of the relentless pounding and the associated pain and what looked like a life ending situation, the dog took the blows, shook off the debris and stepped up. After hours and hors of battering, it was not long before the dog, beaten, bruised and bleeding emerged from the trap which held him for so many hours. Instead of giving up and accepting his death, the dog emerged triumphantly to live another day!

Like the dog, we likewise are challenge by the many pitfalls and traps laid for us Christians by the world. Almost daily, the world throws insults; tries to demean those principles laid down by God Himself and make Christians feel as though they are out of the mainstream. Many allow themselves to be buried without so much as a small bark. They merely say, “That’s life!” and blend in with the crowd. If we who are Christians stand to and face these and other problems and respond to them in the unconditional love, compassion and mercy as Jesus showed us how to do, we will emerge triumphant! Christians do not have to give into hatred, Christophobia, and the evil ways of the world. The adversaries that come along with the intent to bury us almost always have within their outcome the ability to strengthen, bless and benefit the Christian and the Christian way of life.

It is NOT the Christian way to deal with wrong and evil with hatred, bitterness and throwing soil or mud at those who would hate us or would try to kill us. Christians are called to deal with those of the world with prayer, unconditional love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy and being steadfast in revealing sin for what it is—all excellent ways to brush off the soil and step up out of the traps and pits we find ourselves dealing with on a daily basis in this post modern, hedonistic world.

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