Did You Hear Something? - Pawverbs for a Dog Lover's Heart
Did You Hear Something?

The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
AFTER LETTING THEIR TWO DOGS OUT—a gentle five-year-old rescued beagle mix named Delta and a year-old energetic Weimaraner named Wiley—Mark and Heather settled on the sofa to watch a movie. The couple had been looking forward to a date night at home. With their dogs securely playing in the fenced backyard, the house was finally quiet and movie night could begin.
Several minutes into the movie, as Heather reached for the bowl of popcorn sitting on the coffee table, she thought she heard a noise at the front door.
“Mark, did you hear that?”
“No,” he said, pausing the movie.
She strained to listen. “Okay, now I don’t hear anything.”
“Probably just the surround sound,” Mark said, clicking the remote to play the movie again.
Heather had eaten several handfuls of popcorn when she heard the noise again.
“I know I heard something now,” she said, getting up.
Once again Mark paused the movie. This time they both heard the unmistakable sound of frantic scratching at the front door. Heather glanced through the front window.
“It’s Delta and Wiley!” she exclaimed.
Mark opened the door, and their two dogs bounded in.
“How did you two get out?” Mark asked.
“And how long have you been standing there?” Heather continued the interrogation.
Clearly unwilling to share the details of their great backyard escape, Delta and Wiley plopped in front of the sofa and proceeded to sleep off their adventure.
The next day Mark discovered a freshly dug trench at the bottom of the fence—the perfect size for a Weimaraner to squeeze through.
Wiley!
The lanky dog with blue eyes was as striking looking as he was mischievous. Delta wanted nothing more than to obey and be rewarded for her obedience, while Wiley lived to break the rules.
Mark told Heather what he had found.
“Wiley, don’t you lead Delta astray,” Heather chided him.
At the sound of her name, Delta raised her head. Wiley simply rolled over.
“Keep your eye out for that one,” Heather whispered to Delta. “And good job leading him back home.”
Between his expert digging skills and a finicky gate lock, Wiley managed to escape several more times. But thankfully his wiser and more obedient companion Delta always convinced Wiley to follow her home—right to the front door.
PAWS & PONDER . . .
What makes a good friend? Why is it important to choose friends carefully? How can you be a good friend to someone today?
Paws & Pray
Lord, thank you for the gift of friendship. I want to be more discerning about who I befriend. Teach me to be a valued friend to others—loving them as you do and as you love me.

Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.