The Representative Ruler.

The Representative Ruler.

After a lifetime of organisation, I’ve come to the conclusion having a scattered mind isn’t such a bad thing. I’m so focused and driven, when God talks to me, at times I don’t hear it or act on it. I don’t easily become side-tracked. I have a plan in my head and nothing deters me from the plan. For those of you with erratic, choppy, random thinking, knowing a scattered mind isn’t such a bad thing might be a wonderful relief.

Today, as I was working through my daily to-do-list a whimsical thought drifted across the forefront of my mind; to look up dogs in the bible. I’ve had this thought before. God – dog, the inverse of one to the other. What’s the connection? At this point, I wasn’t going to be side-tracked from the work I was undertaking, especially as I’d already done a study on the matter presented. Still, I kept the thought in my head and as soon as I finished what I was doing, I turned my attention to dogs.

The reason I kept the thought in my head was because I’ve obviously not learned the lesson, or God wouldn’t be bringing it before me a second time. Rather than allow it to rest and continue on with what I was doing, I made a mental note to come back to it.

There are a number of inverse actions in our sphere of influence in this world in which we live. Hot planets in the universe are noted as blue while cold planets are red, whereas here on earth, we use red for hot and blue for cold.

When a polarized lens is placed over certain stones, such the type used on the Aaronic breastplate, they sparkle exquisitely with different lights and colours, whereas diamonds go black under a polarised lens and yet people place more value on diamonds than other gem stones.

So, to have dog a reverse order of the spelling of God, there has to be a connection and I’ve missed that connection in my earlier study. Now we are looking at the English translation of the word dog. Other nations call dogs by a different name so they aren’t going to have that reverse order of the word. Italians say ‘cane’ for dog. French use the word ‘chien’ and the list go on for all the different nations. The biblical meaning of the word dog, however, doesn’t change.

Job 12:7 But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you…

Dog’s teach us humility, bonding, faith, obedience, loyalty and companionship, compassion and caring. Known for their unwavering devotion, faithfulness and vigilance, protecting owners and property, all of which align with the biblical ideas of steadfastness and commitment.

And while the bible does impart negative connotations around the animal, this too is used. It’s to teach us to be discerning, avoiding contrary biblical behaviours. Moreover, dogs in the old testament were seen as unclean. As we move into the new testament, dogs are depicted as more friendly and loving, perhaps showing a change in the way dogs and people interacted over the generations.

We are here as stewards of God’s creation and dogs are a reflection of the responsibility of that stewardship. As we commit ourselves to a pet, we need to ensure we’re taking good care of that pet. Genesis 1:26 tells us we have dominion over the fish, birds and the cattle. We have dominion over all living things, but we are not to make God’s of them. And that’s the trap we can fall into, as we worship the animal more than the God who created it.

I do believe it’s reasonable to assume God made dogs to work alongside us, to be our friend and a companion to the lonely. Dogs sense when we’re down and are a great comfort at this time. Dogs help calm us and centre us, lifting our depressed mood or anxious state. And I believe, God’s showing us; what a dog is to their owner, God can be for you and for me.

Dogs accept us, whether rich or poor, pretty or pretty ugly, dogs accept us just as we are. Whether high flyers in society or the outcast, I believe God’s showing us through our beautiful canine friend; what a dog can be to you and me, is just what God wants to be for us - if we’ll only open our hearts and let Him in.

Jesus said the last will be first and the first will be last. Another inversion to worldly views. He askes that we humble ourselves and repent, which means to turn around, to turn from your evil ways; a reversal of one’s thinking, or a change of mind.

The message highlights a serious point - one of ethical thinking – the value we place on both humans and animals. On what it means to be human and how to treat other human beings, the duties, the obligations of taking care of that which we own. It highlights the differences between not only people, but also animals, as thinking caring beings. And most importantly, a special dignity towards a relationship with God, through Christ.

Mankind, under the Headship of the Great God Almighty. Mankind, bearing Christ’s image and likeness; a representative ruler over all of creation.