Daily Meditation: Tuesday, March 19, 2002

You are walking along a country road one day and in a field …

03/19/2002

You are walking along a country road one day and in a field you see a little girl sitting in the grass. She is keeping watch over some cows. Beside her lies a dog, who loves her very much and who is very obedient. Over at the far side you see one of the cows wandering off into the next door field. The little girl sends her dog after it and the dog rushes off, barking loudly to force the cow to come back. Once the cow is back with the rest of the herd, the dog returns to its master, ready to obey further orders. This little anecdote might help you understand the role God has set out for the devil. So long as we are careful not to break the laws and so long as we do not venture into forbidden territory, we are not chased or tormented, but as soon as we begin to stray, the Lord says to the devil: 'Go on, after him, make him come back into the fold,' and the devil comes to nip us round the ankles and causes us trouble and problems. The devil may seem like a dog that is hostile to human beings, but as soon as people begin to get wiser, the devil leaves them alone.