...there's a dog in my lap

I COR 4: 14-15  I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.17For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. 20For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. 21What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

We are dog sitting our little friend, Ginger.  She's been a case study on the effects of consistent love overcoming fear.

When our friends first got her, she was scared of absolutely everything, especially men.  Now, she lets Rich pat her on the tummy!  She doesn't bark when we enter her family's home.  She is secure, loved, happy.  They have loved her into security.

She has had to learn our house rules.  But she's eager to please and now she knows the routine here.
In fact, she like to sit in my lap while I work.  :)

However, her real masters (like Paul returning to the Corinthians) will be back!  The minute they return, all authority is handed over with the dog dishes. 

Confessions?  I didn't want to read Paul's letter this morning.  He's coming down on them so hard, I just want to get to the good stuff that makes me feel good.

Then I read this: 
I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

Paul?  Not offering shame, just the care of a dad who loves his kids.  (Not my image of Paul before now.)  But here he is, just being a good dad.

A good dad doesn't let his children get by with doing self harming things.
For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

Good parents are consistent:
For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.

Good parents want to see consistency in attitudes and actions:
and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. 20For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.

Good parents come into the room:
But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. 

Good parents give their kids a chance to pull it together before they come into the room:
What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness? 

Yep.  Sometimes Paul seems harsh.  But really, he's just being a good dad.  His desire is to come with love and gentleness.  They get to choose.

Father, thanks for not coming into the room sometimes until I've had a chance to choose how I want to face you.  Thanks for being the best dad ever.  Love you.