One of my favorite things to do first thing in the morning is to take our golden retriever and go out for a power walk with God. Because time restraints limit how often I can enjoy this luxury, the times I am able to go are all the more special. These past two weeks have provided several opportunities for these power walks, and I have taken full advantage!

As I round the back corner of my route each day, I can’t help but notice a loud, snarly, rough-looking dog. Every time I approach her house, she begins to jump up and down, aggressively baring her teeth (They sure need to be brushed! Yuck!), viciously growling and barking and eying us as if she wishes for us to become her next meal (She would probably need some Pepto-Bismol if she were to succeed!). Fortunately for us, the dog is held back by a heavy-duty, 20 ft chain. No matter how hard she pulls, the chain tugs her collar into her throat, which serves to momentarily stop her yappy remarks.

I have to feel sorry for the poor dog, for she seems to be living under a state of extreme stress. Her dog house sits in the middle of a 20 foot green circle of grass, ringed by a narrow, brown arc of dirt. It is obvious that the dog spends her entire day running at the extreme end of her chain. She never seems to relax her watch, for anything or anyone coming near her master’s home never fails to drive her ballistic. She probably thinks she is good at her job. As I continue on down the road with my dog, you can almost hear in the tone of her bark: “Look at how good I am! I chased another one away!”

What she doesn’t realize is that though passersby are annoyed by her barking and growling, they see the chain and they don’t feel threatened at all. The only change this dog might bring to their behavior is they would likely ensure that their own walking companion, if he or she happens to be canine, is securely attached to his or her leash!

The owners of this particular dog don’t seem to be too impressed by her antics either. Her dog house is placed some 150 feet from their home. With her 20 foot chain, she can’t get anywhere near the door. But it doesn’t matter to her whether her owners are impressed with her or not. She continues to faithfully “defend” her property with all the vigor she has, even choking herself to accomplish her goal. In reality, however, all she succeeds in doing is drawing a perfect circle around her dog house, while any burglar could sneak into her masters’ home unharmed! Oh, and she is probably also shortening her life span by living in such self-imposed stressful conditions! In reality, she is living a life of utter futility, and you can’t help but feel sorry for her!

Aren’t we all, sometimes, just like this loud dog? We rush around, huffing and puffing to the point that we can almost feel the smoking coming out of our ears. We have so much to take care of, and we are sure that in the grand scheme of things, we are making a difference. This thought keeps us running around, often to the point that we feel the tight squeeze of the chain that keeps us at bay.

But think about it, folks! We are easily replaceable! A few years after retirement, many don’t even remember our names! Or even worse, they silently laugh behind our backs at how silly we looked, running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Is it worth to live under such constant stress? Is it worth to perform aimlessly with no real goal in sight, working hours into the night at the expense of our own families?

Jesus had a heavy agenda, the heaviest anyone could have. He had a world to save, He had millions of people to heal, and He also had the task of spreading the Good News. All of this in a ministry limited to three and a half years. Notice though, Jesus was never stressed out. He never ran aimlessly around, trying to accomplish several tasks at the same time. He always had time for others, no matter who they were. Children were welcomed, sick people were received with open arms and provided with much needed healing, and those who needed counseling received words of comfort that transformed their whole life.

Why the difference? Jesus stayed focused! He knew His task would make a difference in this world. He knew an important secret that you and I often forget: We can do NOTHING without God! And He stayed in constant contact with His Heavenly Father: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (John 5:19 NIV)

The result? Jesus is still remembered today! And more than that, He’s still alive today! He rose from the dead and is offering His resurrection life to anyone who takes the time to get to know Him.

Will people remember us after we retire and eventually die? Only by letting Jesus live in us and by following His lead will we effectively make a difference in this world. He is the reason for our living! We have a choice. We can be like that run-around dog and be chained by our circumstances and our addictions, or we can let Jesus be our friend and experience complete freedom, the freedom that will make a big difference in the world.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36 NIV)

What will be your choice be?

Rob Chaffart

P. S. For all of you who are dog-owners, may I encourage you to treat your dog as being part of your family. These creatures crave to be with others. Isolating them is a cruel existence for this kind of social creatures.