Sarge

"Sarge" is not a military non-commissioned officer. He is our neighbor's black Labrador Retriever...an aged, overweight, friendly, loveable dog.

Sarge is everybody's friend. There is no one he does not like, and will respond to any overture of friendliness with a vigorously wagging tail. He rarely barks, never bothers anyone, doesn't get upset over community matters that sets off raucous howls from all other dogs within earshot.

Sarge pays little attention to other neighborhood dogs and remains aloof to their factious spats and quarrels. The young, black Lab next door nips, dances, growls, "attacks", jumps all around and over old Sarge, and he acts like he hardly notices the whipper-snapper. Sarge does not need to prove anything to anybody.

Then he has the unusual habit of slowly walking out to the middle of our neighbor's huge, quarter acre back yard and laying down in the snow, sleet, rain - seemingly the colder, the better. The dog loves to lie in the snow! much like many people love to bask in a sunny beach. It is as amusing as it is fascinating.

I admire Sarge and the qualities he unwittingly demonstrates to all who know him. He ignores the pettiness around him. He does not sweat the small stuff. He doesn't get easily upset. He rises above communal fussiness and criticism and squabbles. He lets others around him get all excited and in a senseless snit while he conserves his energy for the really big stuff!

"Lord, thank You for the big heart You have given to my friend, Sarge, and help me to lead and enjoy a more peaceful, contented attitude about the small stuff. Amen".

No Small Print

You know the kind...all of the exceptions and exemptions and restrictions few of us read...the kind that would require a magnifying glass or the vision of a five-year-old...the kind that covers little but the glaringly obvious.

The gospel has no fine print, with no rules cunningly shaded, with no surprise requirements, and no hidden clauses.

Jesus did not believe in surprise expectations when He clearly outlined what He required of His followers. No earthly leader in any area of human citizenery was more "up-front" than Jesus Christ.

He plainly stated that each Christian would bear a cross (SEE Matthew 16:24). He forthrighly declared to His listeners that unless they were willing to sacrifice their lives for His sake and the gospel's - so that they could eventually save them- could not be His disciple. He said if anyone would be a part of His kingdom, he would have to humble himself and become as a little child (SEE Matthew 18:4). He made clear that the way up was down.

He said His followers would suffer; would be mistreated and misunderstood; would be hated by the world; would live a life of "straight and narrow" behavior; and that his hours and days would be marked by prayer, fasting, godliness, integrity, purity and wholesomeness.

B-U-T!! He also made it clear that those who follow Him through their lives on earth would have constant peace; would be freed from the domination of sin; would walk in light, not darkness; would have peace of mind; would share in intimate fellowship with (1) the heavenly Father, (2) with Himself; (3) with the Holy Spirit, and (4) with brothers and sisters in Christ. He promised eternal life to each follower; constant, Divine help, power and grace; resurrection from the grave, and heaven with joys beyond human comprehension.

On top of that, amazingly!, He promised that each believer would share in His glory (SEE John 17:22-24), and ultimately would receive and crown of glory. And then! bogglingly!, He said that He would reward every follower for their investments in His kingdom, after supplying them with the grace and power to accomplish it all! It is too much for our poor minds to absorb. All we can do is praise and thank Him!