Outside Dog
During several periods of my life, I’ve lived in places where people had the option of keeping what was called an “outside dog.” An outside dog didn’t require much in the way of care. Sometimes a dog-house of some sort would be provided but often as not, the animal would simply find its own shelter from wind and rain, not because it had to but because it chose to.
Outside dogs were also easy to feed. They ate scraps from their owner’s table. No extra expense. No added effort. If the family ate almost everything, the dog’s rations were a bit short that day. If someone didn’t like some part of the meal, the dog got extra. It all seemed to balance out in the end and if the dog were really hungry, it could go hunting or foraging on its own.
Owners of outside dogs look on in amazement at the owners of inside dogs. These pampered pets are fed regularly with purchased dog-food appropriate to the dog’s age and condition. They are exercised, cleaned up after, vaccinated, groomed, and often treated as well as any human family member. In one case, I remember a woman complaining that her husband was more concerned about the two family dogs than he was about her. (But that’s another story.)
In exchange for the odd kind word, an occasional scratch behind the ears or a pat on the head, outside dogs offer several benefits: They provide some protection and can alert the family to potential danger. They give their owners genuine affection with their enthusiastic responses to the smallest gestures. And provide faithful companionship in lonely moments. They do all this without much in the way of demands or inconvenience.
Some people like to think of God this way – Someone who offers protection, affection and companionship without making demands. You get the advantages of having a god without the disadvantages of commitment, devotion, or putting him first. What a deal! An “outside god.” Offer a few scraps of attention and say a prayer now and then, but live free of the expectations of a living relationship.
Unfortunately, such a god only exists as a figment of the human imagination. The God of the Bible is a person – as real and living as your best friend. He invites us to have a mutually fulfilling relationship. He’s not just there for our convenience. He knows us and wants us to know Him. Jesus said: “This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (Jn 17:3 ESV)
To know God is to live, but not just in the physical way we do now, with an end point just down the road. Knowing God, the source of life, brings us life that lasts forever at a whole new level.
