My dad had a way with dogs. Dad’s dogs always seemed to be smart and obedient (except maybe for Rusty!) The most notable was Benjy, a Heinz 57 variety of a dog that had long hair in spots and resembled the movie star dog after whom he was named.

 Benjy was almost human and I often referred to him as my little brother. Benjy could understand anything you said; he could sense moods and he could tell you the time of day because he knew when it was snack time and when it was time for everyone to be in bed. He didn’t cross the road or leave my dad’s side unless my dad gave the ok. He knew what toy to get when you called it by name and he was gentle and sweet with my frail mother.  

My uncle once told me that when he left a message on my mom and dad’s answering machine that he always addressed the message to Benjy. He left messages like “Benjy, tell your mom and dad than Uncle Jim called”. The reason he did that was because he believed in my dad’s vision of Benjy and because my mom was mostly deaf and when the phone rang, Benjy always got her attention and would let her know, in his own special way,  that the phone was ringing.

I watched dad over the years with his dogs. They were ordinary dogs, not specifically bred for their abilities or intelligence. They were pretty much mutts that he adopted and just simply loved. He talked to them like they were his sons. He never questioned that they were dogs or that they might not understand… he just believed in them. He believed that they understood everything he said, that they were more than “just a dog” and he believed they could do everything he expected them to do…… and they usually did.  He always complimented them and told everyone how smart they were. He just had an unwavering, simple faith in them.

Reflecting on this memory, I thought……what if…..what… if…. we treated all of those in our sphere of influence; our family, our co-workers, our small groups, and our friends, with the same respect, faith and belief, in not only the visible potential, but also the unseen almost impossible potential that my dad saw in his dogs?  There would be no limit to what they could be!

AND what if….we had that same unwavering faith in the God that created all things and we believed without seeing, that He could do all that He says he can do and that He is who he says he is? Would we dare to pray for the impossible? Would we dare to believe the impossible? If we did…..there would be no limit to what God could do! For in Him,  ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE