My dog is terrified of wrapping paper and plastic bags.  I have no idea why.  We got him at a shelter, so who knows?  It makes me sad to think what this little guy’s story might be.

He follows me all over the house, but occasionally that stresses him.  Like, when I won’t sit down and cuddle, or when I’m wrapping or unwrapping Christmas gifts.  You could see the stress all over him this Christmas…the confusion.  His people were laughing and joking, but all around them…the worst of the worst…Paper!  Plastic! I believe we stretched him to his little doggie limit.

He was absolutely torn between being with us and hiding someplace safe.

I know the feeling.  Don’t you?  That feeling when loving people requires so much of you?  Stretches you to the absolute limit?  I’d much rather just be someplace safe.

Luke tells us that “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:8-20)

Read about those angels and you will read that the shepherds were terrified.

These were the guys who watched over the sheep…who kept them safe from lions and bears and wolves and plastic and wrapping paper.  And they were terrified.

I want to say that to “go and see” took true grit.

It does, doesn’t it?

I wonder if the shepherds knew what I know about what terrifies my little dog.  There is something worth the effort on the other side of the wrapping paper.   To get to the real gift…you’ve got to be willing to be a little torn.