“Be quick to
listen, slow to speak and gentle in your anger." ~ James
1:19
When year-old Owen entered Kevin’s
life, he was a marked dog. An Alsatian German
Shepherd pup, he'd bitten little girls, trainers, other dogs, car tires and
demolished countless pairs of dress shoes.
Owen was basically a shredding machine unlikely to celebrate his second
birthday.
His frustrated owner surrendered Owen, not because Kevin
seemed to be the only trainer who'd had any success with him, but because the experienced trainer also owned Rusty the wonder dog - the savant who'd helped save hundreds
of other Owens’ from premature demise.
Rusty was tough, strong and confident. Having spent six feral months foraging
through dumpsters with a pack of tail-wagging hooligans, he’d earned a K-9 PhD
in socialization and survival.
A born dog mentor, he was a role model whose gentle approach
and presence instinctively knew what other dogs needed in order to feel welcome;
to feel safe. Rusty knew when to lead,
when to ignore, when to inspire. Kevin
barely had to do anything once Rusty worked his magic touch.
The little buzz saw promptly ended his antisocial behaviors
almost the moment he met Rusty. On the
odd occasion when he did try to snap at someone or some other dog, Rusty would chase
him, stare him down, then ignore him for a few hours. Never was Owen mistreated by his older, wiser
mentor.
As weeks passed, the two became
inseparable. Owen learned to mimic the
older dog’s manners and gradually realize that, whatever Rusty deemed safe must
be okay for him too. Owen marveled at
how Rusty welcomed strangers cheerfully.
It was just the kind of attention he craved but hadn’t known how to
attract.
We can learn much from Rusty’s mentoring talents.
The best ways to establish a connection with anyone - is
simply to listen. Dogs get it! If you’ve ever had a bad day, you know you
can count on ol’ Fido to sit and listen, no matter the topic. They never listen to bark back. Dogs listen because they care!
Even when it feels like the world is against you; your dog
will always cheer for you. And he or she
is just as likely to rejoice in your victories too!
The best mentors do the same. They’re your best advocates and your #1 ally. Be that person who’s excited about someone’s
triumphs and is always there to listen when they’re down in the dumps. What a wonderful world this would be if we all
had hearts like dogs.
Lord, nobody listens better than You. Help me become a much more engaged, attentive,
whole-hearted listener. Help me hear
what people are meaning to say, not what interpretation I place on their words.
Amen
