By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
The other day I saw something that cut straight to my heart. It was one of the most beautiful expressions of love I’ve ever seen. And yet, it came from a rather unexpected place. The first time I witnessed this heartwarming scene, I was overcome with emotion.
To fully appreciate this picture, allow me to paint the back story. My husband and I live in a secluded subdivision in rural Indiana. The only cars we see are those belonging to our neighbors who are either heading out to go somewhere or coming home. Limited traffic is a good thing. Since there are no sidewalks, people walk directly on the road.
The living room windows of our home face the road, so we see a steady flow of people getting in their daily exercise. Some people walk, some run, some ride bikes. Many are accompanied by their dogs.
We often see the same people day after day. There’s a middle-aged man we frequently see walking his dog. The two of them look so sweet together. The dog appears to be a black lab mix of some sort. Judging by his lumbered stride, the retriever appears to be well-along in years. The owner is patient with his pup. He frequently stops to let his canine friend sniff lawns, mailboxes, or trees. He never rushes and never scolds. He just takes his time and walks by his side. This daily routine seems to be something they both enjoy.
One day, I saw the same dog with his owner, only this time, the owner held a leash in one hand and pulled an empty wagon with the other. That’s when it hit me. The wagon was an added measure, just in case his pup got tired and couldn’t keep walking. It brought tears to my eyes.
Day after day, the man walked his dog and pulled the empty wagon. It was endearing and heart-warming.
I hadn’t seen the two in a while and wondered if the dog had passed away. It broke my heart to even consider that could be the case. I know all-too-well how hard it is to lose a furry friend. Our golden retriever lived to be 14 (that’s 98 in dog years—a well-lived life by any standard). From the time Boe was a puppy, he followed me everywhere I went. He was my constant companion, protector, and friend. When the time came for us to say goodbye to our sweet boy, I cried for days.
Grief is grief. The heart knows no difference, whether man or beast.
Several days passed before I saw the man and his dog again. But when I did, I saw love in action, the kind of love that ascribes unsurpassable worth to another at cost to self, the kind of love that puts others’ needs before our own.
Walking at a brisk pace past our house, I saw the man once again walking his beloved dog—not on a leash—but in the wagon. (Cue the waterworks!)
His pup just couldn’t do it anymore; so love stepped in and did it for him. Every day, I see this man walking his dog by pulling him in the wagon. And every time, I’m reminded of what sacrificial love looks like in action.
Who in your life needs a little love today? Who needs to know you care? Maybe they just can’t do it on their own anymore (whatever “it” may be). Could you step up and do it for them? After all, isn’t that the message of the cross? Jesus did for us what He knew we couldn’t do for ourselves.
Jesus said, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:12-13 NIV). Even our furry friends!
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a NIV).
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4 NIV).
