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get the dog: unique

Yesterday, my friend got a dog.

Now, for most of you, you’re thinking, this is not an auspicious start for an insightful blog post. But then I would tell you that she literally has teared up when reading airline rules about transporting a pet. I’d mention that when she was grieving a major transition in her life a year and a half ago, she brightened at thinking she could finally get a dog. She’s researched shelters extensively, and talked to me about the benefits of getting a dog from a no-kill shelter, and about how pitbulls are discriminated against.

I’d tell you about our conversation two weeks ago, when I looked at her as if she had grown horns. Because she said, “I’m not sure I should get a dog.” She must have noticed my look. Because she explained, “I’m not sure if that’s the best use of my time and money, if I could be doing ministry and loving people.”

Y’know what story came to mind when she said that? Eric Liddell’s. He’s the Scottish Olympian–the one who would become a missionary to China–who said, “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure. … I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast! To give that up would be to hold Him in contempt.”

I just looked at my friend and said, “Of all the people I know, I don’t know anyone else who weeps over animal shelter websites or who is interested in rehabilitating aggressive animals.” I thought out loud, What if God wants to show you his love through a dog? You’ve been talking about simply being loved by God rather than always doing for God. What an incredible way for God to show you his unconditional love!

In real life, I am not that opinionated about that many things. But I looked at my friend. “Get the dog.”

What makes you weep and pound the table?

For years, my folks were in human resources of a large ministry. As they evaluated potential new staff, they’d ask them, “What makes you weep and pound the table?” They were asking, what gets your hackles up? What makes you angry or heartbroken? (See this post for more of those blinking “dashboard light” questions about who you are, and the story God’s writing in you.)

What’s that little piece of God’s heart he’s placed inside your own? 

What's that little piece of God's heart he's placed inside your own? Share on X

I have another friend last week who was iridescently passionate about the marketing identity of a Christian client of hers. She spoke eloquently (I was thinking, I should write this down!) about how a ministry’s identity and communication reflect a lot about the leadership and competency of the ministry itself. If communication is disjointed or half-baked, the client picks up on this and often responds accordingly with his or her checkbook.

So I looked at her, sensing a theme. (Note: It is generally much easier for me to tell others the truth than to tell myself.) “I don’t know anyone in the world who cares more about [that client’s] identity than you. Don’t let that go.”

If she didn’t, who would? Who would do her part in the body of Christ if she tamped down that part of God’s heart within her?

What Self-sacrifice Isn’t

Sure, it’s easy to confuse our priorities; to hyper-focus on our little corner of the world to the point we major on the minors. We see the early church sorting through this in a Scripture of which I’ve reminded myself often:

And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 

Acts 6:2-4

What I hear: Some tasks are indeed a priority. But this role is still important. Let’s find some people equipped to do it, and we’ll stick to this priority here.

Today I started a book that I was pretty wary of: The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discovery, by David Benner. But the author called me out on my hesitations from the get-go: that “we follow a self-sacrificing Christ.” That pop psychology has a potent agenda of self-fulfillment.

Benner explains,

We should never be tempted to think that growth in Christ-likeness reduces our uniqueness…such a cultic expectation of loss of individuality has nothing in common with genuine Christian spirituality. Paradoxically, as we become more and more like Christ we become more uniquely our own true self.

I’ve written before about my own issues with being myself; with my own mangling of the concept “He must become greater, I must become less.” I hope to explore this in the coming weeks–but suffice it to say, this week, whatever it is for you:

Get the dog.

 

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