Who Among You?

I didn't get home from work and small group until after 9:00pm tonight.  My first priority was letting my dog out of her crate because she had been locked up too long. I had thought about my dog while I was driving home, and how I would need to give her extra attention and play toys because of the day's neglect.  Once I was home, I wanted to go straight to bed.  Then, I remembered that I had to make my dog's dinner. (Not because I'm overly obsessed with her but because she has a condition that requires a special diet that is cheaper to cook than buy).

For a brief moment, I thought "What if I just didn't feed my dog?"  Immediately, my spirit said "Who among you would give your child a stone for bread?'  I paused, then remembered more of the scripture from the praise song we used to sing at Grace Community Church, "If we, being evil, do good for our children..."  I realized there is no way I would go to bed without feeding Mathilda, and I understand that she is a dog and not a human (contrary to some folks' opinions).  Sure, sometimes I give her Cheerios when I'm too tired to make her brown rice, but I would never let her go hungry if it was in my power to feed her.  I would never totally disregard her and not give her the special attention she needs when I get home, to make her feel loved and safe.  If I would never treat my dog differently than this, then how will God not do abundantly more for me...His child...that He knit together in my mother's womb?

As I paused to process this, the same old thought rose up that has always risen up in me when I hear this scripture - "Yeah, but some parents are bad and abusive, truly evil - and they really might give their kid a stone for bread."  Then God told me "True, but I am good and evil is not in Me."  Oh, yeah.  An important little detail.

Needless to say, I fed my dog.  I even gave her some chicken after all of that.  Then, despite the previously mentioned exhaustion, I made myself sit down and type this.  Because I'm learning that if the Holy Spirit tells you something then make the time to write it down.

If you'd like to read the actual scriptures and not merely what I remembered, then here you go:

Matthew 7:9

New International Version (NIV)

   ⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

Matthew 7:9

The Message (MSG)

 ^7-11"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing. You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?

And if you need to see a picture of a really cute dog, here ya go: