Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday May 30, 2007

I have been working with the dogs, Max and Molly for the last few days. Max is the quintessential junk yard dog, a mix of Husky, Pug, Terrier and Alligator. Molly is also a mixed, but probably of milder strain. Max is tan and white with a touch of a black saddle, probably a little shepherd mix, and Molly is coal black with a white stripe in the front, hence she is known as a tuxedo color. Other than the fact that Max and Molly are of the canine species and both love food, they are totally different. I have become very well acquainted with each as I spend a lot of time in their house. Joyce took a course one time in the long ago about how to banish the hubby from the master's bed when he misbehaves. She hasn't learned to pull this trick on the dogs, but she is a maestro with me and plays me like a violin.

Give a command to Max and he looks at you with the toughened eyes of the junk yard that with a glance as cold as three AM states, "Okay, when you make me." Give Molly the same command and she turns inside out in an attempt to do exactly as you commanded. She, according to the Great Blonde aims to please. Offer the pups a piece of human food and Max has to sniff to see if it meets his standards, which have developed to very high level since he was carried from the junk yard as a three week old starving near death pup. Molly on the other hand totally trusts us as to what is being offered, and gently removes the proffered food with the look and tenderness of a Catholic child receiving the First Holy Communion. After the morsel is consumed, she looks into your eye and seems to be communicating that when all is said and done humans may have redeeming qualities, and that this well formed opinion can be further strengthened with another morsel, offered in love.

Molly approaches a human with a slight twist in her walk and presents herself for petting. Max on the other hand walks up to the targeted human, and bares his teeth and gives out a low growl at same time he puts his head just under your hand and forcefully demands to be petted. Or else.

When Max is called, he obeys the call at an amble, giving the look that says, "Okay, big boy, I am coming and you just keep your pants on while I'm at it." Molly, never walks anywhere. Usually she does not need a call, as I ever so silently open the refrigerator door and like a streak of black lightening, here comes Molly, seeming to say, "Hey, I'm here to help you pop, and I am a little exhausted from the run, I could use a little nourishment." A real heart stealer.

You may find it strange that after 45 years of preaching and attempting to train people, I find a puzzling similarity between humans and canines. Some folks are a lot like Max and want to argue if not outright fight over any command from Jesus or anyone else. With these you have to threaten to tell their wife where you saw the car parked last week. This often works. Others, well they are a lot like Molly, always anxious to please, if only for a little nourishment from the word, a desire to be close to the master. In church I prefer the "Molly" type to greet people. The "Max" type runs our complaint department.

In the things of Christ; are you Max or Molly? You could be a "Brinkly," but that's another dog tale.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit

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