76. Parable of Riff and all

While we are talking about the dog and trying to persuade some usefulness out of him, I want to share a "parable".
The first dog I had ,(and the last) , when I was a boy, I called Riff, after Dennis the Menaces dog , Ruff.
He was a beautiful, cream and white puppy born to sheep dog parents, the most beautiful roly poly puppy you could imagine.
And he grew to be a beautiful mature dog too.
But he was bad.
Bad in that he would not come when called.
Would not heel.
Would not obey commands
He was boisterous, overbearing, and undisciplined.
Riff was no earthly use:
He was not my dutiful friend, my loyal companion, nor, my loving servant.
He wouldn't have saved my life in a fit..lol... he would have been after rabbits or cars...
Maybe the odd lick on the face, which I hated, was his most redeeming feature.
He was pretty though...

So Riff had to go.

I knew a man who needed a sheep dog. He was good with dogs, but he was poorly presented and appeared to live well below the poverty line.
Mr Fraser had trained dogs, he had had loyal dogs, and he saw Riff and figured here was a dog he could work with.
Was Riff for sale? (youbetcha !!! )
Riff very quickly became a Fraser dog. Riff Fraser. One of the family.
He was adopted into Mr Frasers loving care and was almost as if he were reborn as a new puppy.

Riff was anxious to please, he learned his lessons, and he didnt run out on the road .
He yearned to be obedient to his master.
He stopped chasing cars, learned the sheep trade to a tee, would respond to various whistles from the master : turn left, turn right, get away back, bring 'em on, grab them stragglers...whatever Mr Fraser was going to think next, Riff could almost beat him to it.

Riff became the perfect dog.

We children used to catch the school bus on the main road outside Mr Fraser's house.
One day Mr Fraser said, you know that dog I bought from you, he is the best dog I ever had.


Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Exd 21:5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:

Job 2:3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.