A Loyal Friend // Proverbs 18:24

It’s Millie’s Day, or should I say, National Golden Retriever Day! The development of the breed goes back to Scotland in the mid 19th Century when waters spaniels were bred with retrievers to create a new dog ideal both for hunting in the fields and at home with the family. Golden Retrievers are known for their soft mouths, thick coats, high energy, impressive intelligence, and deep empathy.

Millie is my third Golden and by far the best. She is truly an amazing dog and one who makes me think of that old funny line that I wish I was the person my dog thinks I am. She epitomizes the sentiment of today’s verse that some friends are more loyal than brothers (though that is NOT a passive aggressive shot at my own brother…I promise, Greg). It’s just that Millie is a friend through thick and thin and seems to always be on the lookout for our family.

The truth is that no matter how good a dog Millie is, there is another friend who stands heads and shoulders above the love of the most devoted Golden Retriever: JESUS! Jesus told this to the disciples just before He went to the cross: “I do not call you servants any longer, because servants do not know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my Father” (John 15:15, GNT). And since the Good Book says that faith in Jesus gives us the right to become children of God, we see that in Christ we have the most loyal friend and brother!

So, as we observe Golden Retriever Day, let’s make sure we also remember the love of God in Jesus Christ who is loyal to us ’til the end, which really only is the beginning of forever. Talk about a love that never fails!