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."
16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, "Is that your voice, David my son?" And he wept aloud.
17 "You are more righteous than I," he said. "You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
18 You have just now told me of the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me.
19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today.
20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
21 Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family."
22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
SUMMARY OF I SAMUEL 24
❏ Saul is at David’s disposal
❏ David’s men urge him to kill Saul...said it was the Lord’s will
❏ David cut off a corner of Saul’s robe
❏ His conscience was stricken
❏ David rebuked his men
❏ He confronted Saul–prostrated himself before Saul–pleaded with him to stop seeking his life–vowed not to harm him.
Main Text: verse 14: “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?”
David seems to be saying. “Saul, what are you doing? You’re a mighty king. It doesn’t make sense for you to waste your time and energy on the likes of me.”
Dead dog: In that culture, dogs were not highly regarded when they were alive, led alone dead...good for nothing.
Fleas: difficult to catch, elusive, worthless when captured
SAUL HAD MIXED UP HIS PRIORITIES. He symbolizes those who waste their strength and advantage chasing the unimportant things of life. He’s not unlike many today who spend their lives chasing fleas.
Do you know why Saul was so full of hatred for David? It was because David was so popular with the people–a hero of sorts–a possible threat to his throne.
He chased David from rock to rill, from cave to cavern, threatening his life. He should have been tending to the people’s business. That’s what good leaders do!
He should have been leading them closer to God.
There are plenty of examples from the Bible of those beside Saul who chased after the dead dogs & fleas.
❏ Adam and Eve sought power and knowledge.
❏ Moses took things in his own hands (Numbers 20). He was told only to speak to the rock, but he struck it.
And when he did speak, he siad, “Must we bring you water out of the rock?”
❏ David chased after another man’s wife.
❏ Rich Young Ruler turned away from Jesus in favor of riches
❏ Solomon sought for satisfaction in just about everything and found them all empty.
Dead dog chasers are found everywhere–in the world and in the church–among the lost and among the saved.
WHAT MAKES A DEAD DOG- CHASER?
1. Preoccupation With Self-Gratification
Never before have people been so caught up with the quest for sensual satisfaction. The media blares out a hedonistic philosophy, glamorizing sex, alcohol, drugs, and “things.”
But you can mark this down: this kind of preoccupation will ultimately lead to spiritual death. Matthew 16:26: “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?”
Paul admonished us to “ put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.”
The Bible says there is pleasure in sin for a season. But only for a season. Pay Day Someday!
The Bible likens sin to the venom of a snake and a canker worm.
Illus.: “Tripped by a Sausage”
The St. Petersburg, FL Times carried a news item about a hungry thief who grabbed some sausages in a meat market, only to find they were part of a string of sausages about 15 feet long. Tripping over them, he was hindered in his getaway and the police found him collapsed in a tangle of fresh sausages.
2. Preoccupation With Money and Possessions
Some are so concerned with making a LIVING that they forget about making a LIFE.
They’ve forgotten about the expression, “There are no pockets in shrouds.”
Illus.: “Unpaid Delivery Charge”
Many years ago a package was sent from England to a South African town. The man to whom the box was consigned, however, refused to pay the delivery charge, and for 14 long years it was used as a footstool in the express office. Finally the consignee died and the box was put up at auction with other unclaimed articles. Out of curiosity a man bid on it and got it for a very low price. When he opened it, he was greatly surprised to fine several thousand dollars. Just think what the man missed because he refused to pay a small delivery charge.
So too, he who refuses to meet the requirements of Jesus in regard to discipleship is even mor shortsighted. What the Lord asks in regard to complete dedication may seem too much for the non-Christian, but those who heed his call find He gives infinitely more in return than anything they are required to surrender for His sake.
3. Preoccupation With Fame and Earthly Praise
Pursuing fame is like chasing fleas. It’s a wind that blows one way and then another, changing names as fast as it changes direction.
Mike Tyson has earned well over 100 million dollars since he got out of jail and he’s still unhappy.
During the Byron Nelson golf tournament, in Dallas in May of 1981, a massive tree limb broke off and fell on a spectator, who was killed instantly. It happened near the third hole where Charles Coody was playing at the time. Shortly after the accident, Coody was interviewed on the radio and, in talking to a reporter, he said, “After running over and seeing the accident, I tried to play golf, yet I had no desire to play after that. All of a sudden those three-foot putts didn’t seem that important.”
Yes, chasing dead dogs and fleas is not productive at all. Why not seek after the things that are above–the eternal treasures that will never rust, fade, or wear out? Why not spend your time and energy seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness? It will pay eternal dividends.
Illus.: “Hanging on to the Insurance Papers”
During a flood in the hill country of Texas in 1978 there was a lady who needlessly lost her life. Her daughter told reporters. “My mother did not climb the tree with us. She lost her way before we got to the tree. She always kept every little bill and slip and stuff. She would not let go of her purse with those papers in it.” The family was trying to make a chain, holding hands to get through the water. But the mother had her insurance papers all gathered up in her hands and wouldn’t drop them. So she just washed away.
We need to prioritize. We need to let go of the mundane things of life and choose the better things–life and peace and joy and heaven. May God help us to do it!
