Chasing Dead Dogs & Fleas

Chasing Dead Dogs!

ALL TRULY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE IN LIFE HAVE BEEN THOSE WHO PRIORITIZED. Furthermore, they had their priorities in order. A businessman, referring to a friend who was devoting most of his time and energy in pursuit of an insignificant matter, said, “He reminds me of a bulldog chasing a train: what’s he going to do with it if he catches it?”

Among the classified ads in the Quay County Sun was this ad: “Farmer with 160 irrigated acres wants marriage-minded woman with tractor. When replying, please show picture of tractor.”

Now there’s a man who has his priorities in order! Wait a minute, now, I didn’t say they were in the right order.

I think its good for us from time to time to take a good hard look at our priorities–to se what order, if any, they are in.

Sylvester Stallone of “Rocky” fame, now middle-aged and married with 4 children, is taking stock of his life–and he doesn’t like everything he sees in his past. “Climbing that mountain of ambition. Being so prolific, put the emphasis on the wrong side of my life.

It didn’t make me feel better,” Stallone said in Parade magazine. “Now I understand what’s sacred.”

He now prefers fatherhood to the whirlwind lifestyle he was leading a few years ago when he dated a different woman every month.

“I didn’t have the extraordinary love of my wife and children. I didn’t have a real home. That started to get very, very old.” said Stallone. “If I were watching a home movie of my life, I would shake my head in despair and wonderment...it’s a comedy of errors.”

Now there’s a man who was unashamed to publicly admit his mistakes and re-prioritize. Everyone prioritizes, some consciously and some unconsciously.

At the Milan Cathedral there are 3 inscriptions over the respective doorways. Over the right-hand door there is this motto: ALL THAT PLEASES IS BUT FOR A MOMENT. Over the left-hand door the words are: ALL THAT TROUBLES IS BUT FOR A MOMENT.

But over the central door there is a simple sentence: NOTHING IS IMPORTANT SAVE THAT WHICH IS ETERNAL.

1 Sam 24:1-22

1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi."

2 So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.

4 The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, ’I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’" Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.

6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD."

7 With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.

9 He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, ’David is bent on harming you’?

10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ’I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’

11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.

12 May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.

13 As the old saying goes, ’From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.

14 "Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?

15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand."