And be ye kind one to another…—Ephesians 4:32
When my neighbors Phyllis and Martin decided to get a dog, they knew exactly what they wanted: a small dog, female, young but not a puppy. They also wanted a dog who needed a good home. So they went to our local animal shelter and spelled out their needs.
A few days later they received a call from the shelter. A small, female, one-year-old dog had been brought in by a young couple who couldn’t keep her because their working hours didn’t allow them much time at home. Although it broke their hearts to give up the dog, they felt it was the only fair thing to do. When Phyllis and Martin saw her, they knew she was just the dog for them and took her home.
The next month they received a second call from the shelter. Another small, year-old dog—this one a male—had been brought in by someone who found it hungry and wandering along a road. “He’s really nice and well trained,” the woman said.
Phyllis looked at Martin, and without a word they knew what each was thinking. “Let’s just take a look,” Martin suggested. They did and, of course, they adopted the dog.
Now and then, when I’m walking my dog, I meet Phyllis and Martin walking theirs, and they all look so happy—two little dogs who wanted a home, and two people who wanted their love. Sometimes, when we open our hearts, God has a way of filling them more abundantly than we could ever imagine.
Dear Lord Jesus, make me aware of all I have to share. Amen.
