No Worries for Buddy!

by Fay Barlow
(Lexington, Sc USA)

Matthew 6:31-34 “Therefore do not worry saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

My younger son and I were on our way to school this morning and like every morning, our sweet little dog, Buddy, wanted to go. He sits patiently, staring at me, until I say the words, “get in the car”, then he tears out the door and excitedly jumps into the car and positions his back legs on the floorboard of the back seat and his front paws on the arm rest between the seats in the front. And he is so excited!

My son said, “Mom, you know, everyday, Buddy loves to ride in the car. It doesn’t matter if he just rode in the car earlier. He is just so happy to get in the car.” And I responded. “I know. He is happy about everything. But really, what does he have to worry about? His life is great. He sleeps all day. Eats whenever he wants. Goes on walks, sniffs everything. He has no worries.”

In fact, my little Buddy doesn’t know or care about the economy. He isn’t concerned about the housing market and the wars going on in the world. The only time I see him the least bit uncomfortable is when his food or water dish is empty. But even then, all he has to do is drag it out into the open, go lay back down on his very nice, comfy couch, and wait for someone to see it and fill it back up.

After a moment of silence, I added. “Buddy’s life may seem great, but, he will never know salvation through Jesus. He will never experience heaven or the joy of friends here on earth.” My son added, “He doesn’t know who his family is.”

Um. There is a part of me that wants to be like my dog. Excited about life. Every task, even the ones that seem mundane, is a pleasure for my little furry friend. He doesn’t worry about what he will eat or drink. He knows that those things are provided for him by us.

I can learn a lot from my pooch. I can learn to trust my Master, Jesus, like my dog trusts me. I can relax in the comfort of my relationship with God like my dog relaxes in the comfort of my soft couch. I can get excited about the new adventures in my everyday life that God has in store for me, like my dog gets excited about jumping in the car and sticking his head out the window.

I see his little black nose twitch as we drive down the road. His ears dancing in the wind and the pleasure he seems to have each day as he travels down the same path as the day before. But it is still new and exciting for him. Why? I guess what he doesn’t understand, he doesn’t fear. He has no worries! He is taken care of. He trusts his owner.

But there are a few things that I can do that my dog can’t do. I can laugh. I can Praise. I can know the joy of people around me. I can commune with the God of the Universe.

But more importantly, as a human who understands the world, the cares of it and the hurts of it, I can choose joy in my ordinary days. I can choose hope in an uncertain world. I can choose to seek the things of God, rather than the things of self. I can choose to rest in the arms of my Master Jesus.

I can choose NOT to worry.