“While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable…”
Luke 8:4
The Good Samaritan. The Prodigal Son. The Good Shepherd. Jesus often taught in parables, which are earthly stories with a heavenly lesson. Many times my mom would encourage us with her own parables of Truth. One was about our dog, Fancy.
My mother and father love animals—especially dogs. For seventeen years, they had a little mutt named Fancy who knew to sit on command. One day, after my father spoke at a church, my dad walked across the road with the pastor. Fancy followed behind. Once across, Fancy looked back and saw my mom on the other side of the road, talking to some ladies. Mom could tell Fancy was thinking about dashing toward her and she feared she’d get hit by a passing car. “Sit, Fancy!” she yelled across the street. Fancy sat. Fancy’s disciplined response saved that adorable dog’s life.
Each of us is a little like Fancy, running through life, unaware of the dangers around us. Often it takes an automatic, disciplined response to God’s Word to avoid trouble. Just as Fancy knew to sit because she was familiar with the command, we can know what is right, and obey it faithfully, the more familiar we are with God’s Word. Whatever God asks of us in Scripture, we can be sure it is for our good.
