Fruitful Training

My son and his wife have a dog.
They have a Springer Spaniel.
My son told us that they are a very smart breed.
I admit that I thought his statement might just be the prejudice of a dog owner.

I saw firsthand that he was absolutely correct.
I have watched the results of his training.
I have seen all the things he has taught her to do.
She is very well behaved; she listens and obeys all his commands.

He has trained her to wait for her food.
He can snap his finger and she will move backwards.
He can do other motions with his hand and she will move in those directions.
She has a special blanket that he brings with him for her to lay on.

I watch her paw at the blanket until it is exactly the shape she wants for comfort.
She will paw at the blanket until it makes a little mound on which she lays.
She has favorite toys that keep her occupied.
She has a bone on which she happily chews.

We have gates set up in strategic places; she likes to be with people.
She is very calm.
She lays on her blanket while we eat.
She likes to lay next to anyone who is on the floor, positioning herself as close as possible.

It was recently that she astounded me.

She is completely housebroken, which make traveling with her quite easy.
He is very diligent to take her out and loves to walk her on the same route that I walk each day.
My son has trained his dog to ring a bell when she has to go outside.
However, we do not have a bell near our back door in the kitchen.

Most of us were here celebrating my husband’s birthday.
I was in the kitchen preparing food for our dinner.
I heard a familiar sound but did not think anything about it.
Did you hear that, Mom? My son asked me.

Piper rang the bell, he said proudly.
As quick as he said that, he opened the kitchen door and took her outside.
He came back in the kitchen very pleased with his dog.
What Piper did still did not register to me.

What did she do? I asked my son.
She hit your milk bottles and it made a sound, he explained.
We have a low window seat in our kitchen.
I have an old marble roller on one side, which all children enjoy.

One the other side, I have a metal milk crate with old, glass milk bottles.
Inside one of the bottles is a long wick trimmer.
I keep it there so I can trim the wick of the candle I burn in my kitchen each day.
I know the sound of the wick trimmer hitting the glass and the glass milk bottle hitting the crate.

I hear that sound every time I reach for the wick trimmer.
I did not remember my son’s dog ever hearing it.
However, somehow she associated that sound with the sound of a bell.
She hit the wick trimmer with her nose and waited by the back door.

I could not believe it.
It happened again later that evening.
She hit the wick trimmer with her nose and waited by the door.
My son was right; they are a very smart breed.

It takes a lot of work to train an animal.
It takes a lot of work to train a child.
It takes a lot of work to train an adult to do a new task or learn a new skill.
Training is hard work.

The trainer reaches a point where they want to give up.
It seems as if the skill will never be learned.
There are always setbacks.
There is always failure at first.

Soon, a light bulb goes on.
The skill is mastered.
What was learned can now be expanded.
The skill soon becomes part of the one who has spent time learning it.

Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts. Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees. Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed. (Psalm 119:129-136)

We are trained by our Master.
Our Master gives us commands.
We may balk and fail many times before finally the light bulb goes on.
The Holy Spirit illuminates our minds and hearts, giving us faith to believe and obey.

We often fail as we are learning.
This side of heaven, we will still sin.
However, we have a Lord, a Master, that we love with all of our heart.
We want to please Him.

It is His voice alone that we obey.
We are to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called. (Ephesians 4:1)
We learn, and then in obedience we expand that learning to action.
Our Master is pleased.

Our Master knows when we sin.
Just like my son’s dog, who looks at him with sorrowful eyes, we come to our Lord in repentance.
There is forgiveness when we confess our sins.
Then we can go forth, forgiven and ready to please our Lord and Master.

There is no bell that we hear.
There is only the voice of our Lord.
All of our training is not in vain.
One day we will hear Him; Well done, good and faithful servant. (Matthew 25:21)

And our Master is pleased.