I’d like to call myself an empathetic person. However, I am especially empathetic toward dogs. Dogs specifically were designed with eyes that say, “Love me.” I am sure of it. The way they look into my soul with their Eeyore faces just makes it so I instantly care for their every concern. Yes, I have met my fair share of dogs that nip at my heels while I’m speeding away on my bike. But the dog I own has a heart of gold; his name is Gus.
A couple days ago I came in the room to find my sister leaping from the couch to look out the window. Speculating the body language of the situation outside she concluded, “Something really bad must have just happened.” Within minutes we discovered Gus had just been run over by a car. Surrounding our dog, we analyzed his condition and what to do next. He looked like he would survive, although he was barely walking.
All weekend long my heart sank each time I saw my poor injured dog. I wished that we could communicate so he could tell me the pain he was in. Seeing my oh-so-loved pet defeated and in pain just reminded me that I currently live in a world of sin.
I’ve heard the same question asked several times, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” This question is an instant wall builder between people and God. The world questions, “If God is love, why would He let these bad things happen?” I remember someone asking my boss, Joe Martin, the same daunting question. I’ll never forget how Joe responded, “God has to let sin run its course. He has to let us see how evil sin really is so we will be disgusted with it just as He is.” We are not immune to the affects of a sinful world. If God sheltered us from every bad thing, when in our lifetime would we ever see our need of a Savior?
The Good News is Jesus. We can plow through the struggle when clinging to a Rock. God is empathy. He is especially empathetic toward His children. When He looks at us He can’t help but care for our every concern. I am sure of it.
