Live Like Someone Left the Gate Open

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – August 8, 2017

By Shana Schutte

He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. Matthew 14:29

There are times when you need to build a gate to keep something out, and there are times you need to build one to keep something in. The latter was the story at our house a couple years ago. You see, our beloved dog, Dixie, who passed away last fall, loved to play. What else would you expect from a Border Collie? One summer, she left the confines of our yard several times (few homes have fences in our neighborhood), and came back with a tennis ball, probably belonging to some poor dog deprived of fetch because she stole his fun.

One morning after disappearing for several minutes, she came back with a whole bagel in her mouth which was hard as a rock. She dropped it at my feet as if to say, “C’mon, play with me.” So, five tennis balls and a bagel later, we decided a gate on our deck would keep her from leaving the confines of our yard. After that, she spent her afternoons sunning herself near the sliding glass door.

Shortly after Dixie’s “bagel day” my husband sent me a photo he found on Facebook of a happy-faced, small white dog running full force ahead, ears flopping, teeth showing in delightful doggie glee. The caption on the photo said, “Live like someone left the gate open.” I was immediately reminded of Dixie. For sure, our beloved dog wasn’t afraid to live like someone left the gate open. Not only when it literally was open and she could run all over the neighborhood finding balls and bagels—but every day. Dixie lived curiously and energetically and she was always up for an adventure.

Just after I thought of Dixie, I thought of my life with God. There have been seasons when I have lived like Dixie, full of curiosity and courage to move beyond the comfortable. Other times, I have lacked the faith that would take me to the edge for God.

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power” (2 Timothy 1:7).

I once listened to a message by Francis Chan in which he said that when we are children, we often believe God is so big, so amazing, and so powerful, that He can do anything. So, we are willing to risk for Him. We are willing—and even excited—to live like “someone left the gate open.” But then as we age, maybe we experience a few failures and get discouraged. Or, we listen to others who tell us to be more realistic or more responsible. So, courage takes a backseat to comfort, and faith is shoved aside. Oh, how good it would be to remember that God rewards courage because courage always translates into faith!

What’s stopping you from taking risks for Christ? What’s keeping you from living like someone left the gate open? And what can you do about it today?

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

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