You might think that she spends her days sleeping, and when not sleeping, hunting in the yard for squirrels. Yet, while that is partly true, the boxer in her comes through the most.
Taking her for a walk, for instance, is an incredibly difficult task. She pulls and pulls, with her 40 lbs. of muscle, in one way then the next. She walks in front, behind, and to the side. She will race after other dogs, cars, and any faint sound or smell.
Everytime I walk her, my arms end up aching from all of the pulling and jerking.
The question is, who is in charge? Who is leading whom? Am I leading my dog for a walk, or is she leading me?
The Apostle Paul addresses this same question in Romans 8:14, where he discusses the relationship between the “dog” of the flesh and the Spirit of God: “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (NASB)
Put very simply, if we are led by the flesh, we are not living lives that are pleasing to God. In fact, we aren’t even part of His family. We are more like prodigals, off somewhere pursuing the pleasures of the world.
But if we are led by the Spirit, then we are sons (and daughters) of God. We are not pulled away by the forces of this world, but we are led by the very Spirit of God.
What does that mean? It means we care for others sacrificially. It means that we spend our free time meaningfully. It means that we walk, talk, watch, listen, and click differently.
