Have you ever had to spend time at a nursing home? You can truly see a cross section of how humans react to life. My mom is convalescing from knee replacement surgery and I have made daily trips to take her the paper and mail and just to visit. I take my dog, Gabe, with me.
Did you know that the dog breeds we have today were bred originally from the wolf to be exactly what man wanted them to be? I wonder if this was God’s intention when he said to Adam to rule over every living creature. Were we to manipulate them to make them fit our needs? Is this part of the “image of God” capability? It doesn’t seem right at one level, because in spite of the fact that God has the power and could manipulate us, we were given free will. Maybe the wolf turned dog also had free-will and chose to follow the path of least resistance for the greatest reward. It is a puzzle, but the end result is a great companion bound with unconditional love. Perhaps that is something we should learn from dogs.
Back to the nursing home and my dog’s visits though: it is miraculous how he just wags his tail and rubs his nose on the lifeless hand hanging from a wheelchair to suddenly bring a smile. Of course, not everyone is enamored by my dog, but many do respond and very positively. They tell stories about their own pets and look more alive and excited for awhile. In my mind it is the value of unconditional love; like a miracle medicine that can bring the dead to life.
At some point in the breeding lineage, the dog responded by looking up to a master to help guide and make the bigger choices in life. That is where the wolf and dog differ. The wolf depends on the pack, while the dog looks to a master or higher power. Huh, that is something we could learn from dogs.
– Darcy
Faith Venture 
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