My human asks me questions sometimes.
“Buddy, who chewed this shoe?”
And I slowly back away and look intently at the floor…
Other times he asks, “Buddy, who’s a good boy?”
And my tail wags my whole body as a smile comes across my greying doggy face.
But the other day, while we were sitting on the porch watching the sunset paint the sky all orange and gold, my human read from the Bible and asked a question that made my floppy ears perk up.
Jesus looked at His disciples and asked, “But who do you say that I am?”
And Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
- Matthew 16:15-16
That’s a mighty important “who.”
See, I know who my human is to me.
He’s the voice I run toward.
The hand that feeds me.
The one who scratches behind my ears when thunderstorms roll in.
The one I trust when I don’t understand where we’re going.
And I got to thinking…
Lots of folks know about Jesus the same way I know about the mailman.
“Oh yeah, I’ve heard of him.”
Some say Jesus was a good teacher.
Some say He was a prophet.
Some treat Him like a helper they call only when life starts barking too loud.
But Jesus didn’t ask, “What have you heard about Me?”
Not “Who does the crowd say I am?”
Not “Who does your neighbor say I am?”
Not “Who does your preacher say I am?”
But you.
He asked, “Who do YOU say that I am?”
That’s personal.
Psalm 24 asks, “Who is He, this King of glory?” And the answer comes thundering back: “The Lord strong and mighty… He is the King of glory!”
Not just a teacher.
Not just a good man.
Not just someone for Sunday mornings.
He is King… The King of Glory
My human looked down at me and said, “Buddy, everybody follows something or someone. The question is whether we truly know and follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd… the King of Glory… the Messiah...”
Now I may chase squirrels, but I know my human’s voice better than anything else in this world.
Even in a crowded park, one whistle from him and my tail starts wagging before my paws even move.
That’s how it ought to be with Jesus.
Not just knowing facts about Him… but knowing Him.
Trusting Him.
Following Him.
Loving Him.
You see, a lot of folks know about Jesus.
They know Christmas and Easter.
They know Bible stories and hymns and maybe even where the family Bible sits collecting dust.
But who is Jesus to you?
Because who Jesus is to you changes everything about who you are… and who you become.
As for this old dog, I’m thankful I know the King of Glory and that He still calls wandering pups home.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
