At the homestead where we were living in Swaziland, there was a dog named Lion. Lion was chained up outside our house. He had a metal shelter and a tree for shade. He was a very sweet dog. If you know me, you’ll know that I am an animal lover, but I have a special capacity to love dogs. Back home I have a dog named Diesel whom my parents are so graciously caring for while I am gone.
Anyway, Lion captured my attention from the first day. He was as dirty dog, but a gentle dog. In the mornings during my time of prayer and worship, I would always go visit him. One morning, I noticed that he had a bloody patch on his neck. Upon further investigation, I realized that Lion’s collar had gotten too small for him. It was so tight that it had actually begun to dig into his flesh, creating this deep gash in his neck. I was really upset about it. I didn’t know what to do, I only knew that my heart was hurting for this poor dog. We went to ministry that day and when we returned I looked at his neck again. The gash had gotten deeper, to the point where you couldn’t even see the collar anymore it was so buried in his skin.
This brought me to my breaking point. I felt so helpless. The collar couldn’t come off because it was just a rope. There were no buckles or anything to undo. I’d have to cut it off, which would cause more pain for the dog, but the wound was becoming infected. The amount of pain I felt for this dog was a little over the top. I was distraught. One of my team mates found me and could see the distress in my face. She asked me what was wrong and I just broke down crying. I felt so upset and defeated. I felt like I couldn’t do anything for this poor dog. She encouraged me. She took it to prayer right then and there and prayed over me and the situation. She reminded me that I could do something, such as talk to the owner, even if it was a difficult thing to do. She empowered me to make a difference. I felt peace come over me as she prayed.
That night, I spent some time with the Lord really thinking and praying over how I could help Lion. I wanted to be able to get a new collar and things to clean his wound with. I just wasn’t sure how the owner would react, since he lived on the property also. I was scared to talk to him about the dog, for fear of offending him by making it seem like he wasn’t taking proper care of Lion, but the feeling to help overwhelmed me and so I sprung to action. The next morning on the way to ministry I stopped by a store and purchased a new collar, bandages, wound cleaning supplies, and of course some dog treats. I was going to ask the owner if it would be okay for me to take care of Lion’s injury.
I started to get nervous as we arrived back home that afternoon, when I walked upon something that I knew was a sign from the Lord. The owner was trying to cut the collar off of Lion. He was preparing to clean the wound, but he didn’t have all of the proper supplies to do so. I went over right away and explained that I had them and asked if I could be of assistance. He was so happy to receive my help! He held Lion still while I cleaned his wound and put the bandage on. He saw the new collar and this great big smile appeared on his face. When his wife came down and saw what we were doing, she got this great big smile on her face also and hugged me. She kept saying thank you over and over again and told me that I was a blessing from God! It was so amazing.
This situation made me realize how often times Satan will try to make believers feel helpless, like there is nothing that we can do to help find justice for those who need it. But God is bigger than that and He showed me that I can be empowered to make a difference. He put the compassion in my heart for this dog and that compassion moved me to action. It was such a wonderful lesson for me to learn. God will make a way for me when I only see an obstacle. I am so thankful to the Lord.
Later that night, when I was talking to my team about this I realized another lesson that the Lord had for me. I realized that as heartbroken I had felt for this dog, I have never truly felt that heart broken for God’s people. I saw the injustice towards this dog and it brought me to tears. It tore me apart. But how many times have I walked by a beggar on the streets of Southeast Asia, or South Africa and not even felt their pain. I have felt sympathy for them, but never have I felt the anguish for them that I know the Lord feels. I have seen so many people in these past 7 months who are broken and hurting, who have experienced such injustice in this world and I have not wept a single tear over them.
God has been making me aware that He has more compassion in store for me when it comes to His people. I want to anguish for them. I want to see the injustice in this world towards all people and feel their hurt. I want to feel the Father’s anguish for His children. As much pain as I felt for Lion, I want to feel for His people, for it is through feeling true compassion for His people that I will be moved to action. I want to go deeper in ministry and deeper with what God has for His people.
Honestly, this small event that happened with Lion has been the turning point of my entire race. It seems like such a silly thing, a hurting dog, but it impacted my life so much and brought a new awareness to myself. I am praying for anguish. I am praying for the Lord’s heart for His people. I want to rejoice when He rejoices and I want to weep when He weeps over them. I began to really press into praying for compassion. By the end of my time in Swaziland, God revealed more compassion in my heart for His children. Check out my next blog to see how the Lord revealed my heart for His children.
