Walter loves like Jesus

     When Walter wakes up in the morning I let him out of his kennel and he sprawls out on the floor and we start our morning routine.  Schmylee comes running, and we sing our good morning song as I pet them both.  Finally, after about 5 minutes Walter decides that it is time to go outside so he goes and does his business.  Then he eats breakfast, plays a little bit, and we do lots of cuddling.  He likes to go out on the balcony and spy on the neighbors.  He loves to play with Schmylee.  Playing in the snow and going on walks are some of his favorite things to do.  His second most favorite thing to do is go to daycare.  But, his all time favorite thing to do is love.

                                 
     Now remember that Walter does not read.  He has never read the Bible.  I do not read the Bible to him.  I don't read my devotional to him.  I don't read any of my "Jesus" books to him.  I pray with him around, but I don't pray with him.  Yet, somehow, He seems to have mastered loving like Jesus better than most humans I know including myself.
     One of the most quoted bible verses about love is this 1Corinithians13:4-8 "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 records 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.
     This is exactly how Walter loves.  Walter loves without question.  He loves all those who he comes in contact with.   I don't know if I have ever seen him growl or get angry.  He does not love only certain people or dogs he loves across the board without question.  When we get up from a nap he is so excited to see me he comes in for a long cuddle and pets as if to show me how much he loves me and missed me that hour we weren't together.  He trusts me with his life.  He knows with everything in his heart that I am not going to hurt him and I am going to love him and take care of him.  He loves so hard that we are having to teach him in school to not get so excited when he sees people, and other dogs that he wants to love!

   I tend to think I love pretty well, but I have to really work at it and it is really Jesus working through me.  I get envious.  I get angry and say things I don't mean.  I will bring things up from the past in an argument.  I have very little patience at times, especially while driving.  I rarely pray for patience as I feel like the God puts me in situations where my patience is tested.  I have trust issues and have lost hope more times than I can count.  I have failed those I love over and over and over again.

      James 5:16 says "Confess your sins to each other so that you may be healed."  Now Walter can't really come up to me and say sorry mom that I didn't come when you called and decided to run up to the jogger instead.  He does show me with his actions right away though.  He curls in close and looks at me with the sweetest eyes you ever did see.  He doesn't make excuses, he is just sorry.
     I on the other hand am not always the best on apologies.  I will always apologize.  I sometimes have to throw in a reason why I did what I did.  I will sometimes remind you of a time when you did the same thing, as if that somehow  lessens my poor behavior.  I am really good at professing my sins to God, but it is much harder to do with the people in my life.  Although I make many mistakes and do my best to apologize it is definitely an area I could be more like Walter.
     The Bible say do not be afraid in some form or another 366 times.  There are 2 things that Walter is afraid of, vacuums and big trucks/busses.  My list of fears would take up 3 pages of paper.  Although I am able to keep them in check for the most part, they are there.  We live in a fear based world.  For people who are to live under a faithful God live in a large amount of fear and portray that to others.  Fear the Muslims.  Fear the Gays.  Fear the government is coming for your guns.  Fear the liberals.  Fear those who don't believe like you.  This is not what Jesus teaches us.  Jesus teaches us to love.  I don't live in those fears or project them on others.  Those fears goes directly against my moral beliefs and Jesus teaching of loving our neighbor.
     You might be thinking that it is unrealistic to compare an animal and a human as our brain complexities are much different.  You may be right.  What I do know is that if we could all just learn to love a little more like Walter, we would be living out Jesus' love everyday.  This tells me that loving people is really just that simple.  We are the ones that complicate it.  I am fortunate to have Walter, the Bible, and so many wonderful people in my life to remind me of the unconditional love of which I aspire to daily.