Who or what comes to mind when you hear the phrase “man’s best friend”? If your mind is programmed like mine, you may be thinking of your favorite dog, perhaps a pet you have now or one you used to have. You, may know a dog that wants to be near you, running on ahead of you when you take a walk, constantly coming back to check on your progress, sitting beside you when you pause for a rest, picking up a stick or a rock and wanting you to toss it out so that it can fetch. Such a dog will protect you from suspicious people or fight to the death for you.
A dog named Delta appears in a story printed in the November 1878 issue of “Our Dumb Animals,” a newsletter of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Delta and his master, Severinus, lived in Herculaneum some time before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Not only did Delta save his master from drowning in the sea once, but he protected him from a band of robbers, and another time from a she- wolf robbed of her cubs. The story goes on to describe how the animal became the best friend and protector of Severinus’ only son. When the mountain erupted and buried the city, Delta covered the child with his body, but to no avail. They were entombed together.
Dogs
Though dogs serve us exceedingly well in this day and age (working dogs of all types, i.e., police, guard, herding, rescue, Seeing Eye, and companion dogs, and pets), the Bible has little good to say about dogs in its 47 references to them. Job 30:1 mentions a sheepdog in a deprecating way. Jesus’ interchange with the Canaanite woman suggests that dog may have been pets living in the house and picking up crumbs from the table even as they do today. By inference we can guess that dogs may have served as guard dogs (cf. Ex. 11:7). Most biblical passages, though, refer to them in negative way; as scavengers (Ex. 22:31; 1 Kings 14:11; 16:4; 21:19), creatures with nasty habits (Judges 7:5, 6; Ps. 22:20; 59:14; Prov. 26:11), and outcasts (1 Sam. 17:43; 24:14; 2 Kings 8:13; Phil. 3:2; Rev.22: 15). Nowhere does the Bible lovingly describe a dog’s devotion and service to humanity. It makes me wonder why that is when dogs are so loved now. Could it be that God Himself wants to be man’s best friend?
Lord, Your loving care, attention, provisioning, healing, protection, and saving are infinitely more important to me. Give me a heart true to You only.