Tuesday, May 4, 2004
But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the
word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.
(Luke 8.15
NRSV)
Out of our history books comes the story of a Baptist preacher who took to a stray dog that his
two boys had become very fond of. It seems that the dog was black as coal except for three
very distinctive white hairs in his tail. One day they saw an advertisement in their local
newspaper about a lost dog that fit the description of the stray perfectly, including the three
white hairs. With the help of his two young boys, the preacher carefully separated the three
white hairs and pulled them out. The real owner, hearing that a dog fitting the description of his
lost animal had wandered to the preacher's small farm, went looking for his dog. When he
arrived the dog showed every sign of recognizing his former owner, so the man wanted to take
him home.
Quickly the minister spoke up, "Didn't you say the dog had three white hairs on his tail?" the
owner unable to find the identifying hairs, was forced to leave. Later the preacher would write,
"I kept the dog, but lost my boys." Oh by the way, the names of the two boys--Frank and
Jesse James!
God of forgiveness, forgive me for the times I have failed to be a good example of your
commandments of honesty and love. Amen.
Ron
Newhouse
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