The Marvellous Ministry of Myf
Some of you may be aware that my daughter, Jacky, and her husband, David, have a corgi named Myf. Like all pets, Myf has a marvellous, subtle, almost indiscernible ministry.
Part of Myf’s ministry is that she selflessly takes the blame for other people's unsociable noises and odours. You know this has happened when someone exclaims ‘Myf!’ with a false sense of horror and surprise, and it’s really quite obvious that Myf is not to blame at all; but then how can a growing Corgi defend herself against such lurid accusations?
Outwardly at least, Myf doesn’t seem actually to do a lot. She takes Jacky and David for lovely walks in Central Park. She eats food that no other human being desires, and sometimes goes to doggy day care for a social day out. On some of her walks, she has learnt that the owners of particular shops will offer her treats and put out bowls of water for her to drink from. This is all very charming and cute, but perhaps one of the most important things that Myf has done and continues to do, maybe without knowing it herself, is to make encounters possible with people she has never met before.
What happens when the three of them are strolling through lovely Central Park is that Myf will unabashedly approach other dogs and their owners just to say ‘Hello’. With other dogs, there is often some sniffing going on, just like we would shake hands. People stop, ask if they can pat Myf, and engage in conversation. What is your corgi called? How old is she? How long have you had her, and so it goes on?
Often, at a particular place, at a particular time, on a particular day, various dog owners gather so that their canine pets can play together. More chatter, more laughter, relationships are started, strengthened and enhanced. And when you are in a new city, in a new country, an adorable Myf is just what is needed to help you get to know a few people who have a common interest.
You see what a gift Myf has been, continues to be and will be into the future? Apart from barking at human noises in the hall, Myf has effortlessly helped to integrate David and Jacky into a community of people they would never have met.
Myf has also taught her proud owners the privilege and responsibility of caring for someone other than themselves. Often this is not easy and there is a sacrifice to be made. Like the ‘nature calls’ and illness in the middle of the night. The worry when Myf gets sick, is off her food, or is just down right belligerently disobedient and will not move unless she is physically picked up and carried. It’s been quite a journey for Jacky and David, and they continue to carry out their ownership duties with love, aplomb and joy.
Myf, for her part, as far as we can tell, has done all this whilst just lolling about, being fed with treats and occasionally getting grumpy with the vacuum cleaner. How do you get a voluptuous life like that?
Now,… and this is the really good bit. Is it not possible and probable that, without our realising it, we too have made encounters possible with other people? This happens frequently, and it is not until sometime later that we realise that something quite beautiful has blossomed from something we had completely forgotten about. So unremarkable was that event, that conversation, that we didn’t bother to deposit it into our memory bank. It was just another day, another frivolous piece of chatter. But something happened, something was happening, and we enabled it to happen. While we walked blithely on, a seed had been planted, and things have changed.
But it does come with a note of caution. That just as our words and actions can bring about great harmony and friendships, you will be painfully aware that sometimes, without our realising it, we can also have a negative impact and God’s plans can be thwarted.
So if God can use a humble, lovable and quite cute corgi, one who lives in Manhattan and has the curious name Myf, a dog who has no grasp on the English language, has never gone to school or studied theology, then he can use and I to reflect some of his unconditional love to world that aches for his forgiveness and peace.
Myf’s marvellous ministry is not just to those on the other side of the planet but also as an inspiration for us in our everyday life.