Wicked men obey from fear; good men, from love.
ARISTOTLE
Like so many other folks, I love dogs. I have dogs that I call my friends in several cities. They know me and run up to me so I can hug them when I see them. But there is a dog I adore that I have never actually met. He is a television star. His character name is Levi and he plays on an old television series called Sue Thomas, F.B. Eye. Sue is deaf, so Levi alerts her to important sounds in her world. He has been trained to help in this way, just like Seeing Eye dogs are trained to help the blind.
The dog Levi’s real name is Jesse. When the show’s creators were just starting to cast, Jesse came to audition for them in Thousand Oaks, California. The creators fell in love with Jesse right away and hired him. He could do practically anything. If he was asked to do a new trick, his trainer and master, Bryan, would work with him just a little, and he’d catch on.
It was easy to see that Jesse loved his master and would do anything to please him. Bryan liked it when the writers would put little bits in the script to show off Jesse’s skills. For example, Bryan taught Jesse to touch the elevator button with his nose or paw by putting a piece of a treat in the button. Sue would tell Levi which floor they wanted, and he would touch the appropriate button with his nose or paw. This would make everyone in the elevator smile—Levi included.
When Deanne, the actress who played Sue, first met Jesse, she fell in love with him too. But she was concerned about how he’d be treated as a working animal. She didn’t yet know Bryan. When she saw Bryan lying with Jesse on the studio floor between takes, she realized Jesse was loved and well cared for.
Joan Johnson, the writer and creative consultant, also remembers seeing Bryan and Jesse lying together. It was several years later, at the end of shooting the show. Bryan was stretched out on the floor with Jesse’s head resting on his chest. Jesse was breathing more heavily now because he was older and had cancer. But the two of them rested peacefully together—dog and master.
Joan described Bryan as a tough guy. He was a stunt man, motorcyclist, and the alpha dog in his relationship with Jesse. But Jesse also knew Bryan loved him with all his heart, and the dog would do anything for his master. If Bryan was out of his sight, Jesse would turn his head to look for him. Though Bryan was tough, he was also very sweet, kind, and loyal. Jesse knew this and seemed to love Bryan with all his heart, mind, and spirit.
My Master is also strong and tough. He is not my alpha dog. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. When He tells me to do something, I wish I could say that I immediately jump up and do it. But I am not as obedient as Jesse. Sometimes it takes me longer to listen or act on my Master’s commands.
This morning I took my father-in-law to the doctor’s office. My mother-in-law comes along, so I usually don’t go into the office. But today, I felt the Lord leading me to walk with them to the waiting room. This time I obeyed without hesitation. We sat down and had a nice chat. When his name was called, my in-laws both went into the examining room and I stayed behind.
Just as I was wondering why God had sent me there, I heard the voice of a dear old friend. I hadn’t noticed she was sitting across the room. I walked over and we hugged and shared news of our families. I met her daughter and granddaughter. I had not seen this friend for several years, and during that time she’d developed cancer. She told me she’d decided to stop her chemotherapy. She said she didn’t know how long she had on earth, but God was in charge. Through the sadness we found time to reminisce about some of our fun times with Moms in Touch and Youth for Christ, where we had both served as volunteers. If I had not obeyed my Master, I would not have had this precious, and perhaps final, visit with this dear old friend.
Back in Bible times, God asked Noah to play a starring role on the stage of history. He asked Noah to build an ark and put two of every living thing inside, along with himself and his whole family. The rains were coming to destroy the earth. Noah loved God, and he obeyed…even though the people around him didn’t think the flood would ever happen. But God was as good as His word. The rains came. The ark floated. And when the waters receded, Noah and his family were safe and healthy.
I may not have the same role to play on God’s stage as Noah or Jesse. But I want to play the part He has for me. Like Jesse, I love my Master with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. I know I can trust Him with my life and everyone and everything I know. Like Jesse, I seek my Master and His guidance. And after a long, busy day, I imagine myself laying my head on my Master’s chest where I can rest with sweet abandon.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30).
What roles might God be calling you to play for Him on the stage of life? How can loving and obeying Him help you? Where are you finding it hard to do this? What Scriptures might encourage you?