Sunday, July 01, 2007

freedom


My spazzy little dog, Scout, spent last night cowering pitifully in my jacuzzi bathtub. In her confused doggie mind, it represents a bomb shelter of sorts, shielding her from the barrage of fireworks that started yesterday afternoon.
The "booms!" and "bangs!" that delight the neighborhood children scare the poop out of my poor pup.

Literally.

We've given her doggie tranquilizers. We've tried coaxing Scout outside, to somehow prove that the fireworks won't hurt her. We've attempted to drown out the noise with fans or loud music.

But to no avail. Scout knows they are out there and she's terrified. So she'll hunker down in my tub until the neighbor's supply of Piccolo Pete's run out and the last boom is heard. It's traumatic for her--and stressful for us, since we have to live with a crazed animal for weeks on end.

And the really crazy thing is that she's in absolutely no danger at all. The threat is all in her doggie brain.

Kind of reminds me of the way I used to live. Shrinking back from invisible bullies, cowed by the whispered threats of the accuser, paralyzed by the spirit of fear. I can just imagine what the angelic hosts must have been thinking:
"Why is this spazzy Child of the Most High so fearful? Doesn't she know that every hair on her head is to be accounted for (even the ones that are turning gray and falling out), that no weapon formed against her will prosper, that she has the Holy Spirit to lead and guide her, and King Jesus Himself prays for her. Not to mention that we are on duty, watching over her, 24/7 every day!"

Yep, Scout and I were two petrified peas in a pod. But in His great mercy, the Lord caused His truth to penetrate my heart--and that truth set me free. My old nemsis, Fear, continues to taunt me from time to time, but now I recognize how impotent and empty his vicious lies are. The truth has set me free, indeed! (Although mean dogs and foggy plane rides still make me nervous!)

Poor little Scouters! How sad that our celebration of freedom makes her a captive of fear. Maybe someday the truth will dawn in her little doggie brain and she'll climb out of the bathtub . . .

1 comments:

Jennifer said...

You inspire me Shawn. :)

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