Daily Devotional for March 21, 2023

Shannon is an excellent animal trainer.  She has trained our horses and dogs.  This is good because I don’t have the time, patience, or expertise to train our animals.

Effective training results in desired behavior and Shannon is very effective.  With the exception of a yippy, creepy, hairless dog, that looks like an underinflated football with feet, our horses and dogs behave exactly the way Shannon wants.  But I have come to realize there’s a problem.

Shannon has bell trained our dogs which means, whenever one of the dogs has to go outside, it walks over to the door and uses its paw to hit a small bell suspended from the door handle.  That’s how we know it’s time to take out the dogs.  My job is to take them out.

The problem is when Shannon was training the dogs, the dogs were training me.

We have a miniature Dachshund named Piper.  She doesn’t know her name is Piper because I call her Little Bit and Shannon calls her Doodle Doo.  Needless to say, she’s schizophrenic.

Piper has learned whenever she hit’s the bell, I stop whatever I am doing, put her on a leash, and we go outside.  She really likes going outside.  Getting me to take her outside has become her favorite game.  The bell keeps ringing, and ringing, and ringing. 

Now, whenever I hear a bell, I automatically look for a leash.  That’s how I know Shannon trained Piper, and Piper has trained me.

Training can be a very good thing.

When it comes to the responsibility we have towards the little ones in our church, God expects us to train them. 

Understanding we won’t always be able to be there for our children, we are obligated to train our little ones to rely on the Only One who will always be there.

King Solomon was the wisest person to ever exist.  He said, “Train children in the way they should go; when they grow old, they won’t depart from it.”  (Proverbs 22:6)

The most important gift you can give your children is not a large inheritance, a good name, or an education at an Ivy League school.  The most important gift you will ever give your child is a relationship with the Almighty. That’s what matters most.

Prayer:  Dear Gracious Heavenly God, by my words and actions, help me train the children to rely on you.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

When Shannon sees Piper continually ringing the bell, she laughs and says, “Dance Monkey, Dance.”  I don’t hear a lot of respect coming from her but I’m afraid of her, so I don’t respond.

I’ve been trained to know my place in the universe.  It’s not very high.

I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins