A Short-Lived Walking Companion

Since this writer has no one to walk with on my daily walks, this morning's walk was very unique in that I suddenly inherited a walking companion who passed me rather hurriedly. He was a mixed breed dog similar in looks and stature to a brindle greyhound. He had dog tags hanging around his neck, but I was afraid to look at them for fear of some sort of possible reprisal on his part.

Thankfully, he was a very friendly dog (with his tongue hanging out), who stayed ahead of my rapid walking pace, slowing down only when he needed to relieve himself at the nearest bush or small tree along the route. My belief is that he was looking for a walking companion ..... and he found one in the form of myself.

As he and I crossed a main throroughfare, he suddenly crossed onto another street that runs by an elementary school. Hoping that I would lose him so he wouldn't follow me back home, I stood still as he walked around the corner of a cinder block fence. When I turned around and started walking the opposite direction, he quickly came around the corner, following me once again.

Fortunately, he sensed that I was not his master, and eventually went another direction. Thus, the time I spent with my friendly walking companion this morning was short-lived, but much appreciated for the short time we experienced together (he traveled three quarters of my walking route). Similarly, this writer has met several folks along life's way whose companionship was very brief, i.e., a few short hours in duration .... knowing that we would never see each other again this side of heaven, but enjoying the brief time we experienced together and the human bond that we made.

The lesson I learned this morning in briefly walking with my canine companion, was that we desperately need to develop needed friendships along life's way, even if it's with a faithful dog (see here and here). Who knows what kind of positive godly influence we might have on folks, even in the brief time that we are allowed to walk together. Beloved, let us seriously think about the above thoughts and look for opportunities to share our life and the saving gospel of Christ with others.

---Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets