By Sam Nobles
My dad was paralyzed in his legs and bound to a wheelchair. That
meant for my dad to do anything he had to have help (which seemed to always
mean me). One particular summer day found me and my dad fishing on the banks of
the Chunky River in Chunky, Mississippi. My dad loved to fish, but me, not so
much. I usually found plenty to do to keep myself occupied, but on this day
something found me. As I sat on the river bank watching my dad fish, I felt
something touch me on the back – it was a dog. I asked dad what kind of dog
this one was, but his reply was always the same, no matter what, “It’s just a
lil’ ol’ Feist dog.” I played with that dog all afternoon, but I made one
crucial mistake: I grabbed the dog by the ears. When you grab a dog by the ears
you’ll find out two things: There is no good way to let go of the dog and no
matter what you do you’re going to get bit by the dog.
The Bible says, “He who passes by and meddles
in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a dog by
the ears” (PROVERBS 26:17). The
Bible compares this very experience to people who meddle in business that is
not their own. Suffering from second-hand offence, which is being offended for
someone else, is dangerous business. You’re best to just leave it be. Take it from
a guy who learned the second part of this proverb before I learned the first
part. All courtesy of a “lil’ ol’ Feist dog”.
