My plan was simply to walk from our bedroom, down the short hallway, into the main part of the house. Our puppies, Boyd and Bear, scrambled through my legs and bunched together in the doorway ahead of me. Frustrated and impatient, I muttered out loud, “I’m so tired of tripping over dogs all day long!”
Boyd and Bear took off down the hallway, which was very long compared to their very smallness. I followed and noticed how Boyd would glance, bright-eyed and eager, over his shoulder to make sure I was following him. Suddenly I sensed that Jesus was chuckling beside me.
“What are You laughing about?” My tone of voice, as the words left my mouth, sounded a bit too familiar to address the King of kings. But He didn’t seem to notice.
Still chuckling, I heard Him say, “Look at those puppies. What are they doing?”
“Well, they’re running ahead of me and checking over their shoulder to see if I’m following.” I wondered where this conversation was headed.
“That’s true! And what will happen if Boyd continues to run ahead, looking over his shoulder as he goes?”
“He’ll clunk his little head on the phone stand, Lord. “
“Yes,” Jesus smiled, still clearly amused. “And when Boyd learns by clunking his head, he will surely choose to watch where he’s going instead of checking to see where you are. What, then, if you decide to turn to the left and go into the living room? What will Boyd see when he finally looks back for you? “
“He won’t see me, because I went somewhere that he wasn’t expecting.” By now, I realized I was in the middle of a lesson.
“That’s right!” I had a brief glimpse in my mind of Jesus patting me affectionately on the head. “The way you see Boyd and Bear is the way that I see you, like an eager puppy. You love Me so much and truly long to be wherever I am. But when you run ahead of Me, looking back to see if I’m following you, you will run into things that you didn’t see coming. That usually hurts, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, Lord.” I had clunked my head so many times in life already. Clearly, I can be a slow learner.
“And, like those precious puppies, you have learned by experience that you need to look ahead and be aware of where you are going. There have been times when I had something else planned than where you were headed, and you missed where I was going in your life. I was there all the time, but you couldn’t see me because I wasn’t where you expected Me to be.”
“I’m so sorry Lord. I didn’t realize I was being so foolish.” His kindness washed over me, soothing the disappointment in my heart.
He leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “It would be a much better idea for you to follow Me, instead of running ahead. You’ll make fewer mistakes, endure less pain, and never get lost - if I go first.”
If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. (John 12:26, NAS)
