Peanut’s Bad Day

By Guy K. Henry

www.guyhenry.com

 

Something happened yesterday, and it drove home an appreciation for something I already knew. Sometimes it is the renewal of spiritual truths that brings the spring back to our steps. It is in that spirit, that I share this with you.

If you had asked me, I’d never have predicted it. I’ve always liked animals, but I drew the line at going fanatical over them. I was always the master, and the animal was, well, the pet. Try as they might, the order was not to be reversed.

Then along came Peanut. Peanut is a black and brown dachshund, about 15-pounds. She has floppy ears and a very clingy personality. She came to me quite spoiled, and I’ve done nothing to change that.

She’s spent hours comforting me this past summer when I’ve been lonely and sad. I don’t know how I’d have made it if it weren’t for my special little puppy.

That brings me to yesterday. It was a nice day, and I thought that she’d like to spend some time outdoors. I took her and her leash and tied her to a nice shady apple tree. Then I brought her food and water out to her. Then I brought her an assortment of toys. When all that was done, I sat with her under the tree until we both fell asleep.

After a while, I awoke, and went inside. I left peanut to play with the grasshoppers and her toys. From time to time she would bark, just to make sure that I was still nearby. I’d call out to her, “I’m here Peanut,” and she’d be satisfied.

After a time she barked again. This was not her regular bark though. It was high pitched and continuous. I’d never heard it before, but I knew it signaled trouble. Was she tangled in her leash? Was there another dog out there? Whatever it was I didn’t waste any time in getting out the door to fix whatever it was that was wrong with Peanut.

I came off of the steps a bit fast, and my ankle, which is still technically considered broken, complained. It didn’t matter. I rushed around the corner to come to the aid of my puppy as fast as possible. She was still yelping. She was jumping around, though I couldn’t see why.

As I got closer, I could see that she was wrestling with something. Was it a rat, a snake? I couldn’t tell. Then all of a sudden I found out. I felt a fiery sting on my shoulder. Then there was another one on my head, and back and arm. Wasps!  There were wasps in my hair, wasps on my arm, and wasps in my shirt. All of them packing a blistering bite.

My attention was again focused on poor Peanut. She was covered with a moving coat of these wasps. Her attempts to fight them off were futile. Her leash held her captive to their poisonous attack. Then she looked up at me, and I saw a tear in her eye. It was at that point that I stopped swatting at my own attackers and moved in to release my precious little friend. I’ve always hated wasps and other stinging creatures, but knowing the pain and fear my puppy was in melted away any misgivings I had. I fumbled with the fastener on her leash and finally got it off. She flew around the corner and into the house and onto her favorite pillow. I was close behind her.

She and I were both quite sore. I patted her down with cold soaks and then lay down with her. It was then that I was reminded of something.

I experienced, in a very small way, what Jesus experienced when He came to this earth. I’ve often taken it for granted the difficulty with which He left heaven and came to this earth. I realized that to Him it was more objectionable than diving into a swarm of wasps. As He grew up and watched His playmates lie to each other it must have stung. As He watched his parents exchange angry words, another dose of poison. Spiritual welts must have risen each time he went into market and saw people stealing and cheating.

And yet He came anyway. Why? I am reminded of Peanut covered in a coat of stinging wasps. It reminds me of my condition. I was powerless before sin. There was no escape. I needed a rescue. That is when Jesus looked at me in love. He endured the stings of sin, and swept me up. He ignored the pain of living on this sinful planet, even to enduring the horrible pain of the cross. All to save me from the deadly danger I was in from these wasps of sin.

I’ve known Christ as my savior for almost twenty years. Yesterday I caught a fresh glimpse of the meaning of His sacrifice and the power of His love for us. I hope that I’ve managed to convey that in some small way to you.

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”