Just after Christmas, my wife Anne and I went to see the movie, “Marley and Me.” I was not prepared for the impact it had on me. We both sat in the theater and cried. If you like dogs, you can understand. If you are not a dog person and have a heart, the movie will still move you.
Rudy GrayMarley, the dog, grew up as the family grew. He was an unruly, spirited dog who cared for his family, and the family returned the affection. When the time came for Marly to die, the power of emotions came to the forefront.
We were particularly moved by the movie because our dog, Pudd’n, turned 16 on Jan. 1. Our entire family had a “sweet 16” party for her, hosted by our daughters. She is around 114 in human years and does not walk, hear, or see as good as she did when she was younger. I feed her a peanut butter sandwich with glucosamine and baby aspirin every morning at breakfast. We know she won’t live much longer, but she is spry for 114! Every time we pull into our driveway, she comes out to meet us. Our whole family will be in mourning when she passes.
When we adopted Pudd’n at 6 weeks old, we discovered she had viral pneumonia. The vet told us she had about a 50-50 chance of making it. The pound offered us another dog, but we stuck with Pudd’n. After some costly medical treatment, it was left up to us to help her make it. I gathered the girls around me and told them that Pudd’n had a 50-50 chance of making it – and that she was going to make it. The reason I gave them was that our love for her would make the difference and tilt the percentages in Pudd’n’s favor. For the next few days, Pudd’n was cared for virtually around the clock. Anne stayed up with our pup for two nights. Her breathing was labored. Then during the third day, she began to breathe easier. It wasn’t long before our yard dog became a house, yard, car, anywhere dog. To this day, I believe love made the difference.
That experience taught our family something more important than simply caring about a dog. Love does make the difference. Whatever we are going through and whatever we are facing, God’s love makes the difference. As his child, we are loved, accepted and forgiven. That does not change, because it is not based on us or our behavior but on God and his character. God’s love is the anchor that will hold us steady during any storm. It is the light that will guide us through any difficulty. Love makes the difference.
We will miss Pudd’n when she is gone, but we will remember her forever. Having Pudd’n and standing at that life-death precipice with her taught us something we won’t forget either: Love makes the difference. God is love, and he loves his people. He calls us to love him and then to love our neighbor. God used Pudd’n to illustrate to us something invaluable: Love makes the difference.