Saturday Confession: He Knows My Voice

As I’ve shared before, we have a new puppy named Tucker. He’s a Chow/Lab with mostly Lab features and personality. I’m pretty sure he is growing by the minute. Although I was overall pretty anxious about him, he’s turning out to be my furry baby and sidekick.

He’s also a good object lesson.

 

 

 

 

 

The other day we walked as a family, and Tucker came along. My husband handled his leash and I realized as they walked, Tucker was going places we don’t usually go. I’m a sidewalk/side of road kind of girl, respecter of lawns that aren’t mine. With my husband at the helm, Tucker was walking pretty much, or trying to, wherever he wanted. Including wrapped around our daughter.

When my husband spoke, Tucker got in line. Most of the time.

Then Tom asked our daughter if she’d like to hold the leash. Before she could answer, the word “no” rushed out of my mouth.

She’s easily intimidated by his growing size. She has grip issues. I was pretty certain between her fear and motor skill issues, we’d have a dog running for Cleveland.

So the leash went to our son. With a “are you ready to run?” the two were off and running a pretty symmetric pace until they both grew tired.

I realized how our voices and time spent with the dog paralleled how well he responded to us.

Husband-He is intentional each day about playing with him one-on-one and has disciplined him. But he hasn’t taught him anything, just enforced it. We knew because of his schedule that would be the case. As a result, Tucker listens well, but they don’t have any tricks together.

Daughter-She wants to spend time with him but fear and her elementary school schedule get in the way. When she tries to talk to him, he rarely listens. He isn’t very focused.

Son-They spend a lot of time together. They have special tricks between them that just the two of them share. It’s obvious there is a bond there, and that comes from quality time.

Me-I spend the bulk of my time with him. We do most of the exercise together, and beyond my voice, I flick my wrist with the leash when he starts to stray. He’s learned just from a slight pull on the leash his choice isn’t going to fly. He knows to sit before getting a bone. With me he’s learned to shake hands and give me five. He looks for me all the time. He’s even learned to climb on our bed and sneak a nap when I’m writing or watching TV.

This is such a lesson for me. When I spend time with God, real time, not just a show-up-Sunday-and-that’s it, I know His voice. I can discern what’s truly Him guiding me, and what’s something else trying to distract me or tempt me to trouble. The time is intimate and often enough we have our tricks. It’s hard to explain, but I have a nickname that only He calls me. I wouldn’t know it if I didn’t spend time with Him. And when that word comes to mind, I know it’s Him. There is mutual conversation, laughter, sorrow, and well, relationship.

Then there are others I’ve observed who make excuses and they don’t spend time with Him. Then they wonder why their life choices unravel and why they lack peace.

I’m not saying I have life perfected and I’m the favorite of Jesus. That’s not even close.

I’m just drawing a little object lesson to what and how I saw the dog respond to each of us when we held the leash. The more time spent, the better the walk went. There was unity. Shared fun. No craziness or danger with a dog traveling places he didn’t belong.

On my own strength I’d probably walk in traffic, and so would Tucker. I’m grateful he’s open to listen to my voice and allow me to speak wisdom into his, as simple as a “stop” and a “Ok, time to cross.”

Are you open to listening to the Lord’s voice?

To spend time with Him?