To help establish our relationship with Cinder after we adopted her, my husband and I attended an obedience class with her. The first thing we learned was to get her attention and help her focus on us rather than her surroundings. I’d hold a treat up near my chin and say, “Look at me.” As soon as Cinder’s attention was on me, I popped that treat into her mouth. She’s the most food-motivated dog I’ve ever known, so this part of the training seemed easy.
Since then, she’s developed a feisty streak toward other dogs, to the point we often call her The Bully. She seems to think she needs to protect us from every other dog she sees. We often walk through an old cemetery at the end of our road, and dogs in the yards that border the cemetery will bark at us. If I’m not paying attention to her demeanor and command her attention soon enough, Cinder will morph into fence-fighting mode. But if I’m quick enough with my bag of treats and my command to “Look at me,” she’s generally more interested in snacking than fighting.
Recently, I wasn’t paying attention while a German shepherd snuck up on us. I didn’t realize he was at the fence, about 10 feet away) until he started barking furiously at us. Surprised and obviously feeling threatened, Cinder went into full battle mode while I struggled to hold her back. I pulled out my bag of treats and (somewhat) calmly urged, “Look at me. Look at me, Cinder. Look at me.”
The moment she finally shifted her attention away from the other dog and onto me, she calmed down. And I had a holy moment of insight where I imagined Jesus saying, “Look at me. Look at me, Mary. Look at me.”
I thought back to December when the flu held me hostage for two weeks. In the midst of a coughing fit late one night, I had sensed the Lord urging me to praise Him in the midst of my discomfort. And I recalled the story of Peter walking on the water. As long as he was looking at Jesus, he was fine. But as soon as his attention strayed to the wind and waves, he sank, engulfed by fear.
When scary things come racing toward us like a threatening German Shepherd, Jesus says, “Look at me.”
When fear engulfs and paralyzes, Jesus whispers, “Look at me.”
When life is overwhelming and too much for us to handle, Jesus encourages us to “Look at me.”
Three simple words that carry a whole new meaning for me.
Excerpted from Mary L. Hamilton’s monthly newsletter. To see more, sign up for the newsletter on the website’s home page.
