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The Bulldog.Topics: Devil, Sin, Temptation, Calling, Jokes
There was once a German Shepherd dog who lived with a kind master who loved him very much. Every day when the master went to work the German Shepherd would be on a long chain in the garden, long enough to traverse all the house grounds and be able to go inside through the dog-flap if needs be.
One day, as the German Shepherd was keeping watch over his Master's property, a Bulldog came bouncing up to him laughing and taunting. The bulldog said, "Ha! Ha! Look at you, all chained up. Not free! I'm free, I can do what I want. If i'm hungry I go to the litter bins and find food, I can chase all the lady dogs. You can't be happy!".
"Actually", said the German Shepherd dog, " you do have a point. I do wonder what it would be like to have a little more freedom and step out of the boundaries set by my master. But my master is good! He cares for me and loves me and I am secure in his care."
But the Bulldog kept coming back day after day with the same old tactics. Finally, the German Shepherd dog started to be taken in by the bulldog and said, "OK, if I did want to be free how is it possible ? I'm chained up!".
"Ah!", said the Bulldog coming in closer, "You have to be smart like me. When your master is out you go into the living room, right to the centre and do a big poo poo!"
"But my master will beat me!", gasped the German Shepherd in alarm.
"Ah! He will beat you a few times, then he'll let you loose!", replied the Bulldog.
That night the German Shepherd couldn't sleep. He was tossing and turning deciding whether to listen to the Bulldog or not. Eventually the next day came and the master hugged him and left the house with the usual loving words of 'Be a good dog, look after my house'.
But the German Shepherd was under the spell of the Bulldog, and he went to the centre of the living room and did big business!
The next day the Bulldog came over again and saw the German Shepehrd dog still chained up sitting silently in the garden. His nose was bright red!
"What happened ?", asked the Bulldog , "You did it didn't you ? What happened ?"
"My master was so angry, he took me to the centre of the living room and rubbed my nose painfully in the mess!", replied the German Shepherd.
"Ah! That's just the first step. You do it a few more times and you'll be free", said the Bulldog running circles around him.
"No", said the German Shepherd, "Through this experience i've learnt one thing".
"What's that ?", inquired the Bulldog.
"Now I know why your face is like it is !"
The moral of the Story is....
The devil comes to tempt us away from the safe boundaries God has set for us (His commandments, His word and His specific area of calling for us). He tempts us to make a mess in the house of God instead of being watchful and caring for our Master's house (the Church). The devil will come time after time to tempt us and tell us we're not really free. However, true freedom only comes in being a servant of the Lord!
We should recognise satan's tactics and resist him to his face and he will flee - Martin Luther, the famous reformer, did this. One night he woke up and the devil was the the end of his bed. Martin Luther said,"Oh! It's only you!", and he went back to sleep.