Love is the magician that pulls
man out of his own hat.
BEN HECHT
Jennifer and her husband, Lynn, already had Panda, a two-year-old Tibetan terrier whom they had adopted from a stable, loving home. This dog was an “easy child”—affectionate, outgoing, and healthy right from the start.
Shadow was a different story. A six-year-old terrier/toy poodle mix, he was abandoned by his original owners and wandered the streets in the East San Fernando Valley until the pound picked him up. He was adopted soon after, but a year later the family returned him because their house was in foreclosure. On top of that, he had developed a leg injury. He was now “damaged goods,” which minimized his chances of adoption.
Jennifer, however, fell in love with Shadow the minute she saw his picture on the rescue website. Shadow had the same coloring and markings as Panda—jet-black coat with a white chest and front paws, and melting brown eyes. So she and Lynn arranged to have Shadow meet Panda to see how they got along. They didn’t kill each other, so Jennifer and Lynn signed the adoption papers and became a family of four.
They quickly found out their new kid was not Panda. Instead of being a people-pup, he was standoffish and skittish. When Lynn came near, Shadow would growl and hiss. Jennifer had to do a lot of coaxing to get Shadow to come, whereas Panda was always craving attention.
Shadow’s leg problem compounded his negativity. He was often lethargic and cranky. If Jennifer and Lynn pushed too hard to engage him, Shadow hobbled off and hid, not wanting to be bothered, sometimes foregoing food. He would squeeze into the narrowest and most insular spots in the house. His favorite hiding place was underneath Lynn and Jennifer’s heavy and immovable bed, so flushing him out was often an exercise in frustration. He refused to be sweet-talked, biting and snarling more viciously than his owners could believe. Jennifer would finally put on a protective mitt to reach under the bed and grab at him—but then the little stinker would dart to the other side. They kept their bedroom door closed to cut down on those episodes.
It took lots of loving, gentle coaxing, and great endurance for bites and snarls, but after about six months of being with his family, Shadow began to lower his defenses. The turning point came shortly after a new medication began to ease his leg pain. Instead of indifference when Panda walked by, Shadow crouched down, wagged his tail, and pounced on his unsuspecting housemate. Jennifer’s heart was touched. From that moment on, the pups began to pal around and even snuggle up together in bed. They would never have done that in the early days.
Soon, Shadow was spending time in the living room instead of retreating to his hiding places, and would even cry out when he wanted to be picked up or held. As his leg improved, he became bouncy and animated, even approaching other people with a wagging tail! When Jennifer’s sister visited for Thanksgiving, Shadow followed her everywhere, and loved cuddling up to her on the couch.
Jennifer and Lynn soon discovered Shadow loved belly rubs! A few well-placed scratches would send him rolling over, mouth opened wide with ecstasy. He even took to licking his people’s hands or faces and recently graduated to giving lavish Eskimo kisses! That’s quite a milestone for a former canine “affection Scrooge.”
When Jennifer first told me about Shadow, I wondered why they’d kept that scared, snapping, snarling, hissing misanthrope so long. Why didn’t they give him back? They had no idea he’d eventually come around to being the sweet and lovable dog he is today. Why bring home a gimpy middle-aged hostile street urchin when they could have just as easily adopted a sweet, adorable pick-of-the-litter purebred puppy?
Because…
When Jennifer said she fell in love with him at first sight, she did not mean it in a lightweight, teen romance novel, pop-song “groovy kind of love” way. Jennifer’s love for Shadow was the same kind of love parents have for their kids and God has for us. It’s that 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love: patient, kind, protective, trusting, hoping, and persevering. This Super Love, when applied in generous amounts over time to those who have been wounded by abandonment and abuse, has the most incredible healing effect.
First John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.” Jennifer and Lynn brought Shadow into a loving home and over time, the root fear of abandonment and abuse was driven out. What was left behind was the treasure of a real family.
We humans who suffer from similar issues of abandonment and abuse, who hide in narrow places and snap, snarl, and bite when others try to reach out to us, are also offered a healing kind of love. It’s God’s love, and it’s meant to bring us into relationship with our true family. God paid a much higher price for this love than Jennifer and Lynn did in working with Shadow. But this love is the source of the ultimate transformation of the heart—and just like it did with Shadow, this love will set us free.
Jesus cast seven demons out of a woman named Mary Magdalene. His love transformed her into one of His most devoted followers. Then Jesus called a tax collector named Matthew to follow Him. Matthew responded to that love-inspired invitation, turned from his old life, and went on to write a book of the Bible.
Love has the power to transform demon-possessed women, unscrupulous tax collectors, and antisocial dogs.
Love has the power to transform the world.
Love has the power to transform you and me.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God…. for God is love (1 John 4:7-8 NASB).
How has fear held you back in your life? How has love transformed and freed you? Who might God be calling you to reach out to with His love?