Icing on the Steak

Luke 17:5-10


Once upon a time, I had a Golden Retriever. She was a ninety pound lap dog. She was more auburn in color than golden. Because we lived in Nashville at the time, we named her Reba. The name had a nice ring to it in that country music city – Reba Meier, with no “McIn--” at the front.

Reba was born to retrieve. It didn’t matter what you threw, she’d go fetch it if you were willing to throw it. My arm would tire out before her energy to retrieve ever wore out.

Before breakfast, I’d say to her, “Paper?” Her eyes would get big and she’d run to the front door, doing a tap dance on the hardwood floors until I got there. I’d open the door and say, “Fetch.” She’d bolt across the yard, skid to a stop at the side of the road, and pick up the newspaper. Grinning, she’d deliver it to my waiting hand.

I’d always ruffle her ears and give her a big hug, saying, “Good girl, Reba.” Once in a while, I’d give her a milkbone. She loved that.

Fotograf: Andreas Dobler


Sunday afternoons, I’d be sitting on the living room couch, watching the Titans battle their opponents. I’d say to her, “Toy?” She’d dash to her basket of goodies in the kitchen and bring back a raggedy pull-rope made of tightly wound cloths. Holding it until I grabbed one end, she’d try to pull me off the couch in a game of tug-of-war. She was born to retrieve, and to entertain, and she couldn’t get enough of it.

St. Paul tells us (Eph. 2:10) that “we are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” We have been created for good works and we should walk in them.

The world teaches us to expect rewards for doing the things we are expected to do. In the church, we start young. We give perfect attendance pins to children for coming to Sunday school every week, even though it’s expected. If they get sick, in consideration for not bringing their germs to infect anyone else, we take away their milkbone. Nice move.

The accolades of the world, like honor, praise, fame, money, even a word of “thanks,” are nice milkbones. But they will never fill our deepest hunger.

Like a Golden or Labrador is created to retrieve, we are created in Christ Jesus to love. This is what is expected of us. When love and service become our reward in and of themselves, we will know God lives within us, and we will be filled.

At the end of each day, when we lie in front of the fireplace, exhausted from a day of serving the Master, we will have our reward. God is with us. We can say, “We are unworthy servants, doing only what is expected. And thank you, Lord, for giving us such pleasing and rewarding work.”

And every once in a while, if a milkbone is thrown in, that will be icing on the steak.


Peace - PWM