lessons from training a puppy

my sister and bro-in-law just got this little puppy, Simon, and while I was in toronto this weekend, i spent a couple of days training him how to sit, lie down and touch my hand on command. before i arrived in town my sister insisted that Simon was potty trained to go on potty pads in a certain area of the house. i was surprised and skeptical that he was already trained to do this. was he just used to going in the same spot which just happened to be where she laid out his pads? or was he used to going wherever the pads were laid out? could he do it 100% of the time no matter what?

so i arrive and on the first day alone with Simon, i took his blankie from out of his crate and laid it on the floor next to the sofa where i was sitting with my knitting project. i was expecting him to lie on it so he wouldn't have to lie on the cold flooring. instead, he went ahead and relieved himself on the blankie. then after work, my sister arrived home and while she was getting ready to go out for dinner, Simon relieved himself again near his crate far away from the potty pads - he did it twice actually, the yellow and then the brown. So i told my sister that Simon was indeed not trained. her excuse was that since I was a new person introduced to his home, I must have confused him and messed up all his potty training. My response was that if a puppy is truly trained, it shouldn't matter what new external things you introduce or whether the environment changes, if he's potty trained, he won't relieve himself inside.

So what does this have to do with anything?

This morning, i was reflecting on my time in Toronto as I often do when I return to Seattle and asking myself, did i reflect Jesus in my interactions with my family? How could i have said things in a gentler tone? Was my tongue tame? Were my words loving while speaking truth? Did i honour my parents even when it was tough to hear them out? Did i respect them? I proceeded to write out a prayer asking for the Holy Spirit to change and soften my heart that the Spirit would be able to grow the fruit of gentleness in me towards my family since it seems I have no problem with gentleness while I'm in Seattle -- and as I was writing this out, I felt the Spirit convict me with my own words to my sister regarding Simon's potty training. If I truly had the fruit of gentleness, it wouldn't matter what environment I was in or how the external circumstances change around me. If i'm in Seattle, then gentleness is exhibited in my interactions with other people. If i'm in Toronto, then gentleness continues to be exhibited even in my interactions with my family, especially my parents.

I changed my prayer then with a more humble attitude, to request that the Spirit would change my heart such that the I would understand what it means to be gentle no matter what circumstance I face, no matter where I am or who I am interacting with.