A DOG AND HIS TREASURE

 

A DOG AND HIS TREASURE: By Wendell Ingram

Kathy and I have been working the last few weeks getting her late parent’s home ready to sell and one of the jobs that had to be done was to clean out the freezer. Much of the food that was stored in the freezer was out of date and had to be discarded and a lot of it was meat. Not wanting to be wasteful, we brought the outdated meat home, removed it from the wrappers and piled it all in the back yard to feed to our dog and four cats. This abundance of meat created a rather comical situation with a number of object lessons that I would like to share. Our dog "Hank" is a Blackmouth Curr that weighs about 75 pounds and is at the top of the food chain at our place. He immediately claimed all the meat for his own and while he is tolerant of our cats he is not willing to share his food with them.

After eating all the meat he could hold and burying a few pieces in the garden, he spent his days guarding that pile of meat with the cats all laying a safe distance away, waiting for Hank to doze off so they could sneak up and steal a few bites of his treasure. At night the cats were not a problem because they feared the local coyotes which also got wind of the meat. Hank had to spend his nights keeping the coyotes run out of the yard. Hank’s abundance was literally wearing him out. I am reminded of Solomon’s observations in Ecclesiastes 5:12, The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.

Hank is a very loving and personable dog and every time we come home he meets us in the driveway and walks with us to the front door wanting us to scratch his back, but after acquiring his pile of meat, his allegiance was divided. When we would come home he would run to meet us in the driveway then run to the back yard to make sure the cats weren’t stealing his meat, he would again run to the front to get a quick petting and then return to the back to check on his stash of meat. He wanted to cultivate his relationship with us but he just couldn’t leave his meat unattended for fear of losing some of it.

As I watched Hank’s obsession with his pile of meat, I wondered if this is the way Christ sees his disciples who are so obsessed with accumulating and protecting their possessions that they don’t have time to cultivate their relationship with God or fellowship with his people. Jesus had a lot to say to his disciples on these matters. He states in Matthew 6:19-21, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Again in Matthew 6:24 Jesus states, No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. And then Jesus promises in Matthew 6:31-33, So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Well, that pile of meat that became Hank’s obsession is now gone. In spite of Hank’s best efforts he could not protect or preserve his treasure. As with all material possessions, it perished with the using. Proverbs 23:4-5 tells us, Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Hank’s treasure of meat resulted in physical exhaustion, made him a target for potential physical harm (coyotes can be vicious) and it interfered with his relationship with his master. Paul warns in I Timothy 6:10-12, But godliness with contentment is great gain. For For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction, For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Since the loss of his treasure, Hank is certainly sleeping better, not having to protect his treasure from the cats and other critters. He can now meet us in the driveway, wait patiently as we get out of the car and get all the scratching and petting we will give him without him being preoccupied with protecting his treasure. Once again Hank trusts his master to provide him with his daily food each morning. Once again Hank is a content and happy dog!

In Matthew 13 Jesus tells the parable of the sower and he explains that the seed that fell among thorns is the man who receives the word but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it making it unfruitful. Let’s be careful not to make the same mistake as Hank and allow ourselves to become obsessed with our abundant possessions and allow our obsession to interfere with the relationship with our Master. Hank has an excuse—he’s just a dumb animal following his instincts, but God has given us the ability to think and to reason and he has given us ample information in his word so we can make wise choices that lead to an abundant life here and eternal life with God in heaven.  -Wendell Ingram