Guest post by author Linda Lowe Apple
Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Romans 2:4 (NLT)
On my way to meet friends, I passed a house where a huge Doberman Pincher stood in the middle of the road. When he noticed me driving towards him, instead of moving out of the way, he planted his paws on the street, preparing to stand me down. By his lifted lip and his stance, I knew he growled a warning. Of course, I slowed down, which only made him bolder. He charged my car, snapping at my tires and barking a warning. In his mind, he asserted his dominance of the road.
Silly dog.
This pup had no idea that his display of power wasn’t what made me apply my brakes. Rather, it was my kindness and patience with his ignorance. He had no way of comprehending that I was the one with power. I could have continued on my way without slowing down, knocking him off the road, causing his death, or, at the very least, severely damaging him.
Reflecting on the dog’s behavior, a realization dawned on me. There are times when I, like the dog, take a stance, bark my opinion, and feel all-knowing. In those moments of my ignorance, God waits with kindness and patience.
Silly Linda
When I’m all barked out and ready to listen, ready to be teachable, and ready to repent from my error, God speaks.
Linda Lowe Apple is an award-winning author. She has authored five children’s books. She is currently working on a ‘how-to’ book on inspirational/memoir pieces. You can find her books on Amazon. For more information, check out her author website at linda@lindaapple.com.