Even a Dog Gets a Treat: Man Needs Bread, but not Just Bread Alone

Last updated on: May 29, 2021 at 3:51 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

Even a Dog Gets a Treat: Man Needs Bread, but not Just Bread Alone 2021-05-28T10:39:35-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Our dog got a treat, not just a treat, but a treat from Rochester.*

Hope, gone to the home of our alma mater, where we met in high school, and met again after college, knew who needed a reward. Nessie, the Wonder Dog, missed Hope. Zweigles, maker of these treats, also makes delicious “hots.” When I first came to Rochester from civilization (West Virginia), I was unsure what a “hot” was, red or white. Zweigles taught me the difference: hotdogs made from a higher grade of meat than even Oscar Meyer.

Given Dad’s pastor’s salary, we could not always get treats, but sometimes we could. Those were good times. There is a garbage plate, much better than it sounds. There was Lancer’s soccer, where I saw Pele (!) get a yellow card. On the radio there was WXXI fun and Star Trek reruns right after Lawrence Welk. These are small treats, but small is sufficient with treats.

The good news about being created in God’s image is that even the smallest thing, the necessary things of life, can become a treat. We can make much of little and turn little into much though creativity. Yet this is not the way things should be. We are not born for Scroogish lack, but the super-abundance of Eden and the coming City of God. The Church always has understood this deep truth. Saint George in Houston is beautiful and true: a mansion for all.

We go on Sunday and get what needs must, but also a superabundance of beauty.

The True Light we see is necessary truth to our souls, but there is beauty. God knows how we need beauty after a week on the freeways, and, often, endless small blessings. These are treats for the soul.

Man does not live on physical bread alone, but every Word of God. We need bread for body and soul: we must endure and to endure requires strength.

Yet.

God help us.

We long for more: a party, a celebration, super-abundance. This is the feast we see twelve times a year, Christmas and Pascha just being two.

I think, sometimes, that the difference between the atheist cultures we have seen so far and Christian civilizations is this very thing. Christianity knows the deep things of God and so has access to more than we need.

When Hope came home from Rochester, I did not need her in the sense of tasks or jobs. I had plugged along without her presence, but when she returned, I could feel the difference. Things were better than what was necessary: things were jollier, more like a party, even though we did not have time for a party! Hope brought, as hope always does, the possibility of jollification.

The dog deserves a treat, so much more do each one of us.

Naturally, life gets tedious. We face bad circumstances where not even Zweigles can cheer us up. We know too much for a game of fetch or a treat to cheer us up. God does not come to cheer us up, but promises, just on the other side of now, superfluity of joy. We will see all the light we can stand, all the truth we can know, and all the beauty our souls can bear. Nothing good will be lost, nobody will be forgotten.

We pray for daily bread, but coming is the Kingdom, the Power, the Glory, forever and ever.

Thank God. Amen.

*Home of all my dear alma maters: New Covenant, Elim, Roberts Wesleyan, and the University of Rochester.

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

May 28, 2021

To Be Hardly Able to Hear, Yet Hearing

Next Post

May 30, 2021 Likely Wrong: Biblical Egalitarianism Regarding Some Religious Roles is Implausible

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Joseph's brothers sold him to traders for thirty pieces of silver.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »