“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
- Matthew 6:19-20 ESV
I was minding my own business the other day, laying on the porch watching my human read that old Bible and sip coffee.
Birds were singing, the breeze smelled like fresh-cut hay, and life was about as close to perfect as a dog could ask for.
Then it happened.
A squirrel.
I’ll confess something to you…
I used to think catching one would finally make my life complete.
I never caught one.
Not once.
But that doesn’t stop me from trying.
Now I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a demon squirrels through the eyes of a dog, but it’s like watching a furry little tornado with a tail.
One second I was peaceful… the next second - airborne.
Feet flying, ears flopping, barking like I was defending the entire kingdom.
The squirrel zigged.
I zagged.
He ran up a tree.
I ran into a bird bath.
Did I catch him?
Nope.
Did I find joy?
Nope.
Only frustration.
I just ended up panting, tired, dirty, and wondering why I left that shady spot on the porch to begin with.
That’s when my human chuckled and said, “Boy, you spend a lotta time chasing things that aren’t worth chasing.”
Now… that’ll preach.
Isn’t that what we humans and dogs tend to do sometimes?
We chase things that flash by and grab our attention.
More money.
More stuff.
More approval.
More noise.
We run hard after temporary things hoping they’ll satisfy us, only to end up spiritually winded, emotionally worn out and frustrated.
Ecclesiastes calls it “chasing after the wind.”
You know… the world is full of squirrels.
But Jesus?
He’s the Lion of Judah.
Big difference.
What if we chased after him instead?
Squirrels distract.
The Lion leads.
Squirrels scatter our focus.
The Lion steadies our heart.
Squirrels leave us exhausted.
Jesus leaves us fulfilled.
Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Now I may just be an old dog, but I’ve noticed something.
When I stay close to my human, I’m calmer.
Safer.
More content.
I don’t feel the need to chase every rustle in the bushes.
Maybe it’s the same with us and Jesus.
The closer we walk with Him, the less attractive the squirrels become.
That promotion won’t save your soul.
That hobby won’t heal your heart.
That distraction won’t bring lasting peace.
Only Christ can do that.
So today, maybe it’s time to quit wearing ourselves out chasing the wind and the squirrels, and start following the Lion instead.
Squirrels are fast and fleeting.
But the Lion of Judah has already won.
And that’s a good place for an old dog to rest.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
