Serving Where the Lord Leads

Dogs and Handlers from Lutheran Church Charities meet

Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden (center)

On Sunday, July 17, two police officers and one sheriff’s deputy in Baton Rouge were killed in the line of duty.

On Monday, I offered to assist with the Lutheran Church Charities Comfort Dog deployment.

On Tuesday, I drove to Baton Rouge to meet with Lutheran Church Charities president Tim Hetzner and the rest of the team of dogs and handlers.

On Wednesday we began our work. During the three-day deployment we brought the dogs to the Baton Rouge Police Department, the Lady of the Lakes Hospital, the 911 Dispatch Center, and the funeral visitation of one of the slain officers.

We met police officers, dispatchers, the Police Chief and Mayor of Baton Rouge, the family of one of the wounded officers, and staff at the hospital Emergency Department.

The Comfort Dogs paved the way for their handlers to offer the compassion and love of Jesus to the people that we met. That most often took the form of words of encouragement and time spent in prayer.

Our team included people and dogs from Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee. For some of the victims of tragedy and loss, the fact that we were there spoke volumes. For others, the hugs we gave and the prayers we offered eased the hurt. For many, simply spending quiet moments with a Comfort Dog brought healing to aching spirits.

The welcome we received wherever we went let us know deeply people were hurting. It was a privilege to serve the Baton Rouge community.

As we anticipate the placing of a Comfort Dog at Messiah, I know that we will have plenty to keep our dog busy in Houston. He or she will spend time at the Early Childhood Center, join me at the Corner Bakery where I offer prayer to their patrons, and pay visits to our local police and fire stations. Our members will learn how to work with our dog and engage in ministry at our local hospitals, assisted living facilities, libraries, and schools.

But there will also be times when the request goes out to deploy beyond Houston or beyond Texas because of a shooting, a flood, a tornado, a hurricane, or an explosion.

Those times will remind us that the love of Jesus knows no limits and His people’s compassion for the hurting has no boundaries.

A Letter from Prison

St. Paul, a first century follower of Jesus, is wrongfully imprisoned by the government. While in custody, he writes to a number of congregations to instruct and encourage them. These are called his Prison Letters. One of these letters is written to the church in the city of Philippi. This letter is known by many as the "Letter of Joy" because joy is one of its main themes.

Toward the end of this letter, Paul addresses a conflict that is brewing in the congregation. After being specific about how the parties involved should work to reconcile, Paul speaks more generally about the way of peace. He urges three virtues: joy, gentleness, and gratitude. He says that practicing these three virtues will result in a peace that transcends and surpasses all understanding, a peace that comes only from God (Philippians 4:4-7).

Recent events in our nation have put hate and anger and bitterness on display. And these traits, when combined, yield the ugly fruit of violence. Five dead police officers in Dallas, Texas. Police in other cities being targeted simply for wearing the uniform.

In saying this, I don't mean to minimize the fact that police officers can make mistakes and even abuse their authority. But a law enforcement officer doesn't deserve to be targeted as a threat anymore than a black man in his twenties should be assumed to be a thug. Nevertheless, in this broken world the temptation and tendency to pre-judge is all too alive and well.

But bitterness, anger, and hate are not the solutions to the problem. They will never result in peace. They will only breed conflict and violence.

Let's take a lesson from Paul. Let's pursue the virtues he urges and even challenges us to practice. He counsels joy, gentleness, and gratitude, resulting in divine peace. Joy, gentleness, and gratitude, from the pen of a man wronged by the authorities. Imagine that.