Day 50: Furry Angels

“Your prayers and neighborly acts have brought you to God’s attention.”
Acts 10:4


Can you imagine an angel standing before you? Even more, can you imagine an angel standing before you and telling you that not only have your prayers gotten God’s attention, but so have your actions toward all those you encounter.

Yesterday my son called. He was on his way home when he saw a small dog running through traffic and as he passed, he remembered a conversation he had been a part of earlier in the day in one of his classes. The teacher had noted that often tragedies take place right under the nose of people who would not stop to help. Realizing he had one small opportunity in which he could make a difference, he pulled his car to the side of the road, and began to direct traffic.

Several months ago my twelve year old daughter and I had a similar experience. My daughter Grace is a great lover of animals, babies, and the elderly, and for her the sight of a furry four-legged animal running loose on the street brings out her maternal instincts, and instantly thoughts of adoption ring in her head. On this eventful day as we rounded the corner from our home, a large white fuzzy scruff of a dog appeared and began making a bee-line for the larger, and much busier main street.

“Mom, we have to get him, he is going to get run over, “she announced, and suddenly I found my car pulling itself to the roadside. The wayward pup seemed to sense our mission and next thing I knew my back seat was filled with scruff and girl. Now I am savvy enough to know that most probably angels don’t come in furry packages, although I have heard tell of a donkey who spoke his mind, but it was the adventure we soon found ourselves on that made me wonder if that pup wasn’t heaven sent “for just such a time as this?”

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
Hebrews 13:2

Finding that the dog had a tag, we tried to contact the owner, but to no avail, so off we went to the local dog rescue several miles away, as we turned on to the street where the rescue was located we saw a young woman running with all her strength behind a school bus, frantic, yelling loudly, and obviously distraught. Again I found my car pulling itself to the side of the road, lowering the car window I asked if she needed help. She went on to explain that her five year old son was on the bus, and she had just missed it. She had no way to get to the school, and so another passenger was added to the car.

The school was a small distance away, but too far for her to reach quickly, and much too far for her little one to walk home. As we drove to the school, we shared about our dog rescue adventure, and she thanked God that we had shown up at just that time, and then we added another passenger to the car, her five year old son.

Soon mom and son were safely left at home, pup was dropped at the rescue, where his master later found him, and we headed home, feeling as excited and as joyous as if we had entertained angels.


Perhaps we had.


With every encounter, whether outside in our community, or inside the walls of our own home, we have the opportunity to treat others with the generosity and kindness of heart that we would most certainly treat those of heavenly residence. A smile and a helping hand can be revolutionary, it might even change your world.


I think it will change mine.


“…For this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound in you, you will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 1: 5-8


Lord,

Change me and make me the woman You have called me to be. Make me a woman who is not only faithful in prayer, but who has a heart to love others in active and tangible ways. Add to my love brotherly kindness, and help me to always remember that some “angels” I might entertain, live right inside of my house!

Your Beloved