Going to the Dogs

Say what? (Stock Exchange photo)

We mean it in the worst possible way when we say: “The world is going to the dogs.” But actually, Christians should be like dogs: obedient and willing to do absolutely anything to please their Master.

Now THAT gives a whole new meaning to “going to the dogs!”

I can’t say for certain that Jesus was thinking about the parallels between His followers and dogs when we find Him walking along with His disciples in Luke 9. During this journey a man promised to follow Him wherever He went (9:57) and Jesus reminded Him that following would mean sacrifice (9:58).

Then Jesus asked another man to follow Him and the man said he would, but only after his father was dead and buried (9:59). Jesus responded by saying that the Kingdom came before family (9:60).

Another promised to follow Jesus but wanted at least to go and say goodbye to his family (9:61). And Jesus’s reply was perhaps the strongest of all: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (9:62). Personally I suspect that Jesus knew that this man was just looking for a reason to disappear over the horizon never to be seen again. It was like saying, “I'll follow you later—maybe” when Jesus wanted an “I’ll follow you now.”

Those who put their “hand to the plow” and then walk away are perhaps the biggest disappointment to those of us in ministry. There have been far too many of them over the years. Jesus made no excuses for them and He made no apology for the demands He made of those who followed Him.

Following Him was everything, or it was nothing.

You and I might not like the comparison between us and dogs, but my guess is that the dogs are even more embarrassed by the association.