To be like a Search and Rescue Dog

Recently, I read this article on a Bretagne, a search and rescue dog that searched for survivors in the 9/11 aftermath.



Her handler said the following qualities are important for good search and rescue dogs: high toy drive, high prey drive, nerve strength, and focus. Encouraging people seems to be a natural attribute thanks to the fact that well, it's a dog and it's friendly! I thought, you know this is kind of what we, as Christians, need too.

I really loved this quote about high toy drive:

"Their toy is their paycheck. We're looking for the dog that's going to be so over-the-top crazy for their toy that they're going to be happy going over this rubble pile."

In my mind, somehow it combined with the image of Eric Liddell running faster and faster just feeling God's pleasure (like in Chariots of Fire). In my case, obviously it's not about a toy, but it should be about being so over-the-top crazy for the joy of pleasing God that I'm willing to do anything and go anywhere. To be just so in love with God and delighting in Him that I can ignore the rubble pile around me if by being there and doing my job I will please Him.

High prey drive. Yep. Persistence. I feel like even for the most persistent of us, it's easy to get discouraged in the face of continued difficulties. But, we, like the search and rescue dogs have a job to do and lives are at stake.

Nerve strength. Here I think our situation is actually easier. The handlers ask for the dogs to go to dark, scary, and dangerous places by themselves while they wait and hope that everything goes okay. We have a God who has told us that when we find ourselves in the dark, scary, and dangerous places, He is there with us. We have the promise that no matter what happens, He will never leave us, and although the handler can only hold their breath and hope for the best, God is in control.

Focus. If a dog can ignore the sound of jackhammers, sirens, and other loud noises to search for people buried under rubble, maybe I should learn to tune out the distractions in my life so that I too can focus and do what I am called to do.

Encouraging-ness. (Okay, I just made up a word.) The article describes how Bretagne basically became an unofficial therapy dog of sorts. People exhausted by the search would find comfort in petting Bretagne and talking to her handler. Wouldn't it be nice if we too could encourage those who are weary? We can be a source of encouragement wherever we go if we only look for opportunities. There are lots of tired and hurting people in this world. While I know I don't always recognize opportunities and sometimes I just ignore them, will you join me in being more sensitive to the people around us, encouraging them when we can?