We have puppy. It’s a very small West Highland Terrier and it’s very cute. Apparently the dog is my dog. This means I have the pleasure of cleaning up the small deposits of dog nugget that get left around.
So, last Saturday I went to a “Puppy Pre-School” run by the local vet. It’s a misnomer really, because it’s actually owner training, not dog training. Needless to say I have had my eyes open to K9 pack psychology and there are frightening similarities to our family life.
I discovered to my horror that dog poo was the least of my worries. Dominance was going to be the really big issue to deal with. This being the case, I have to work at becoming the Alpha male of our family pack! I explained this in all seriousness to my family after the lesson. They laughed. I’m now wondering if I need to do a refresher-parenting course.
The idea behind domination is boundary building. It means that for the community to work, boundaries need to be created. However, most animals will not self-boundary, they need them clearly defined from an early age. This being the case, if I get the boundaries in place our dog will (generally) live happily within our family. However, it is the dominant member that creates those boundaries.
If we are all honest, there are influences outside us that create boundaries for living. It doesn’t much matter if it’s at home, work, gangs, schools, pre-schools or social circles; someone, or something, creates limits that restrict our behaviour.
We like to think that we are free to live and act as we please, but we’re not. Not by a long shot. I hear people complaining that religion is too restrictive, yet it’s no more restrictive than the general mores and customs of society. The boundaries are just different.
What really sticks in the craw for most people is the idea that God can set boundaries. It’s bearable when governments or parents set boundaries because we can protest or rebel, but it’s very difficult to protest against an external divine authority.
However we do have a choice. I choose to live in the shadow of Christ because I genuinely believe it’s best. No one forces me to do so and neither should they.
But why? Surely the boundaries of secularism are broader and more liberating? Well, I’m not so sure. I think we focus too much on where the fences are, when what matters is where our source of life comes from. Fences are largely pointless.
At some stage we want our dog to be free to roam safely outside his pen. Likewise, I want to roam the world safely and freely. But I can only do so if I know the actual source of healthy life.
Following Christ is not about knowing where the fences are in advance, it’s about learning to recognise where a fence should be on the excursion of an unpredictable life.