Call of the Wild - Lesson 3 - Man's Best Friend?

Here is some of the research I found on dogs when I was studying for this lesson.

… people soon discovered the many ways dogs could enrich (peoples) their lives. Dogs have been used to hunt for food, herd animals, guard livestock and property, destroy rats and other vermin, pull carts and sleds, perform rescues, and apprehend lawbreakers. They have been used during wartime as sentinels and message carriers. Today trained dogs are used to alert (their deaf masters) deaf people to common household sounds, such as the ringing telephone or doorbell; guide (their blind masters) the blind; or retrieve objects for (their quadriplegic masters) quadriplegics. Perhaps the most common of the many roles served by the domestic dog, however, is that of companion. As animals with strong social tendencies, dogs typically crave close contact with their (masters) owners. And people tend to form loving bonds with dogs. This companionship often helps to ease the pain and isolation of the elderly or people whose physical or mental health requires long-term period of recovery or institutionalization.

Blind and unable to stand, newborn puppies are helpless and spend 90 percent of their time sleeping and 10 percent nursing….Mothers clean, nurse, and defend their pups until they can live on their own, but fathers do not involve themselves in the care of the young.

Instinctive behaviors of the domestic dog are comparable to those of its wild relatives, the wolf, coyote, fox, and jackal. Unlike trained behaviors, such as being housebroken or responding to –(their master’s) human commands, instinctive behaviors are those that dogs do without being taught and include vocalizations, body language, and marking.

The domesticated dog is able and willing to learn appropriate behaviors and is highly motivated to please its (master) owner, critical factors that have contributed to the success of the domestic dog as a companion.

All puppies and dogs have three daily requirements: plenty of fresh drinking water, correct amounts of nutritious food, and adequate exercise for the dog’s age, breed, and temperament. An outdoor dog needs shelter from the elements and plenty of shade during the summer months, and indoor pets must have regular access to the outdoors for elimination. Whatever their living arrangements, all dogs require the loving attention of their (masters) owners.

“Dog," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2005http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

So, what can we learn of this animal?





Story of the disobedient dog and his master
He keeps his eyes on his master so he is not tempted by what is in front of him.


Let’s see what the Bible has to say when it refers to the Dog.


Dogs

Psalm 59:6-7, ‘They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?’


He compares their cruelty to hungry dogs showing that they are never weary in doing evil.
belch out--that is, slanders, their impolite barking.
Last week we spoke about what the heart is filled with will proceed out of the mouth.

We can also read these verses and say these words don’t apply to us.
These verses are directly speaking to the heathen and wicked transgressors.
We also learned last week that we are no better than them,
And that there are none righteous, no not one.

So we would agree these verses are indirectly speaking to us,
Reminding us how we are not to be.

What can we take away from these verses?





Proverbs 26:17, ‘He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.’


Either holding a dog by the ears or letting him go involves danger,
so success in another man's strife or failure involves a useless risk of reputation,
It does no good, and may do us harm.
And by taking a dog by the ears we bring this pain on ourselves and why.

I believe this proverb applies where people meddle with domestic disputes
or differences between men and their wives.
Some wisdom that was shared with me was…
Only give advice when it is asked for or,
If it is a matter of life and death,

Blessed are the peace makers,
but very far from blessed are the meddlers.
It is honorable to suffer as a Christian,
but shameful for being a busy-body.

How can I be a better Christian, father or husband
By applying this verse to my life?





Ecclesiastes 9:4-6, ‘For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.’

What do you feel lead to share with us here?





Matthew 7:6, ‘Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.’

How do you feel when you put a lot of thought into a gift for your child.
Take the time to go to the store and purchase it.
Bring it home, wrap it and give it to them.
They open it, ‘…wow… thanks … a lot … what … is … it ?’

You give your spouse a gift of similar importance to you.
And there it is three years later still on the dresser in its protective cellophane shell.
At least it wasn’t trampled under feet.

How do you think the Lord feels when he gives us a gift and we don’t appreciate it?





The stiff-necked and stubborn enemies of the gospel spoken of here
are unworthy to have it preached unto them.

How does He feel when we trample His word under our feet?





Matthew 15:26-27, ‘But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.’

This is powerful, this woman very humbly admitting she is a dog,
Gives Jesus a little parable of her own.

Can we apply this verse to us?
Or is it only speaking of Jews, Gentiles and the Word of God?





So Jews are the chosen people,
Gentiles are dogs.
We are not Jewish, so we must be dogs.

Philippians 3:1-3, ‘Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.’

Beware of false teachers,
Beware of those who are not as they appear.

So, who are we to beware of?





Matthew 7:15, ‘Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.’

What is a prophet?
I believe a prophet is someone who hears the word of God and tells others.

False teachers must be taken heed of: and they are known by false doctrine and evil living.

They are none other than ravenous wolves,
whose design is to feed themselves with the fat,
and clothe themselves with the fleece,
and thus ruin, instead of save, the flock.

How can we protect ourselves and certainly our families from this evil?





Matthew 10:16, ‘Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.’

Another flashback from last week.
That is, I send you, inoffensive and harmless, into a cold, unfriendly, and cruel world.
Your innocence will not be a protection.

What are we to look out for then?





Revelation 22:14-15, ‘Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.’

Your thoughts on this verse…





Closing thoughts…

Dogs in scripture are not man’s best friend.
It was the lowest insult given.

If we are a dog, or appear to be a dog, or are similar to a dog
In the ways mentioned in these verses I would be afraid.
We are being lumped in with some bad people.
Sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers, idolaters…

Come on it was just a little sin.
Well at least I didn’t kill anyone.

Let’s not take Liberty in Christ to act like a dog.
Let’s not justify our wrong actions by saying; I’m not as bad as them…
Well at least I didn’t do that …

Let’s continue to grow, as there are those out there who do not want us to.
There are those out there who can’t wait for us to fail.
They are watching, even setting traps.
Let’s stay alert.
Don’t let the past hold you back.
And let’s keep our eyes on the Master,
Especially when we are tested.

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