“I pray that you…grasp…the love of Christ, and know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:19
We were sitting on the sidewalk dining ‘en plein air.’ It was a BEAUTIFUL day as Katie and I enjoyed each other’s company. Soon, 2 folks were seated right beside us, and so close I could have almost eaten off THEIR table! They were only 2 people, but the way the older woman was behaved, they became a spectacle of 3!
It became obvious the women were mother and daughter, and it didn’t take long to figure out the sad reality of their lives. The third party at their table was a dog, all dressed up in baby clothes, sitting in a stroller. While mom barked short sentences to her daughter, she kissed all over and baby-talked to the dog! At one point she held a piece of ice for the dog to lick as a treat. It was all I could do to keep my mouth shut!
The daughter was in her early 20’s, wearing rebellion in her demeanor, from head to toe! Poorly dressed, tattooed all over and grossly overweight, she just SAT there silently conveying disgust. It was obvious she wasn’t there because she WANTED to be. Soon, it became easy to see and hear why! The loving attention that SHOULD have gone to the daughter was being audaciously poured out upon her rival… A DOG!
Knowing God through the perfection of His Word, It isn’t hard to see that there are a LOT of things wrong with the world. What SHOULD be plain to people, because God has MADE it plain (Romans 1:9), is that we were created for a unique and special purpose. Our position in the chain of creation was to be the dominant representative of Almighty God in the world made BY Him…FOR Him. Each one of us being filled with the person and purpose of our creator.
To ascribe human traits to that which is not human may be entertaining. Cartoons and movies do it all the time because sadly, anthropomorphismis profitable! But to assign undeserved traits to undeserved things instead of people, ESPECIALLY those under our care, is not only sin… it’s idolatrous treason! Something God WILL have MUCH to say about it at judgment.
There is NOTHING more special, valuable or deserving of God’s love and Grace than those for whom it was created. To steal a human privilege and present it to an undeserved animal or a thing causes alarms to go off inside my head and heart. Which is why God calls humans into the unique position of being FILLED with ALL HIS fullness, to go about the business of proclaiming that privilege to the ones for whom it was intended.
My dad used to leave everyone he talked to with the words, “You are Special!” He said it because, whether they knew it or not…they WERE! But those are words ALL human beings need to hear… from God through you and me!
Do YOU realize how special YOU are to God? Do you thank and praise Him by receiving those words and then graciously pass them on to others? Because the Good News is only Good News when it is shared! And proclaiming it isn’t a ‘ruff’ job!
