Lions, Dogs, and Sheep
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. - Matthew 15:22-28

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. - Ecclesiastes 9:3-5

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. - Isaiah 40:11

Today, the dog is considered by many to be 'man's best friend.' We tend to show our dogs plenty of attention. Some dogs eat very expensive food, are professionally groomed, go to training classes, are attended to by veterinarians, and live (if not in the house with its owner) in lavish kennels. There are even prestigious dog shows that give the canine owners a chance to show off what grand pets they have. Some dog owners literally provide their pets with better living conditions than many people have around the world. Dogs which lived in Bible times, however, did not have such a lofty place in the esteem of humans. Most of the references to dogs in the Bible were contemptible ones. Simply put, dogs were 'low life' and were not generally considered creatures of any admirable or honorable qualities. Lions, unlike dogs, were highly esteemed by both Old and New Testament contemporaries. The lion is considered the king of beasts and has no match in many of his characteristics. Powerful nations adopted the lion as their symbol. Kings wanted to be thought of as like unto lions in strength, courage and majesty.

Lambs, or sheep, have little in common with either dogs or lions. Lambs are defenseless creatures and feed only on vegetation. Dogs and lions can be savage creatures and feed often on the carcass of another animal that it has killed. A lost lamb is an easy meal for a roaming predator like a dog or lion. Lambs mature to be sheep which are not much better at protecting themselves. They require constant watch-care when feeding in pastures outside of the fold. These animals are the epitome of unintelligent animals. Even the dog and the lion stalk their prey and can be trained. The sheep, conversely, may wander off of the side of a cliff while grazing. Matthew 15:22-28 gives an account of an interesting conversation between Jesus and a woman who had come to him for help. Jesus said two things to her that seem to be uncharacteristic for our merciful Savior to have said. He said, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel," and "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." In essence, Jesus called this woman a dog! How could he have done such a thing? It was, and is, for the sakes of all those who were around to hear it spoken then and to read about it thereafter. He wanted to teach us who we really are. Jesus knew what the woman's reply would be. She spoke these word's, "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." She did not defend herself nor did she take issue with Jesus for calling her a dog. In fact, she agreed with him about her contemptible state. Yet, even so, she still begged for mercy. Jesus then came to her rescue in grand form. First, he applauded her faith by saying, "O woman, great is thy faith." But he did not stop there. He gave her what she had humbly come for. He said, "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt."

As noble and majestic as lions are, there is one other thing that is commonly associated with the lion, and that is pride. Unlike dogs and lambs, lions need nothing form anyone. Most people think of themselves as lions. That is, as self made men, or as a 'man's man.' These people feel that they do not need God's help. Some of these people have dismissed any notion that God exists. Others are religious people who have made themselves into a 'god' and call themselves Christians. They just cannot humble themselves to the lowly state of the dog and then only hope to become a sheep. It is more romantic to be a lion. It is more honorable to be a lion. Or is it? Jesus referred to His followers as a flock of sheep, or sheep in a fold, not as a pride of lions. The Lion of the tribe of Judah was also the Lamb of God. The Son of God became the Son of Man. In other words, be who you are. The Bible says in James 4:6, "Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." Jesus called the woman a dog and her reply was, "Truth, Lord." She found mercy because of her exemplary faith. It goes like this: First, you see yourself as a lion proud of who you are and what you intend to become. Second, through Holy Spirit conviction, you realize that you are nothing more than a mongrel, a scavenger. Finally, God makes you one of his sheep. A humbling succession. Now, how about you? After all, would you rather be a living dog or a dead lion?