Grandma lives on a farm in Missouri where she raises English Bulldogs. One of her special bulldogs is named Wellington. Wellington is a good-looking, broad-chested, block-headed, male English Bulldog.
Wellington had always been kept in an enclosed, 8-foot by 12-foot kennel, close to Grandma’s house. One day, Grandma decided to move Wellington to a new, outdoor run. This run was a 16-foot by 16-foot area with a nice wooded dog box made especially for him. But once there, Wellington barked and barked. His neighbor, also an English Bulldog, fought with him through the fence. Wellington would whine and bark, then they would fight again. On and on Wellington barked and fought, long into the night. Wellington did not like being cast into the outdoor darkness where there was “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
You see, Wellington liked his kennel close to his master’s home with his family. He did not like being outside the kennel. He wanted to be back home; that is why he barked long into the night. When Grandma came out the next morning to let Wellington out of the run for some exercise, where do you suppose he went? He ran as fast as he could right to his old home. He shoved the door open with his strong, burly chest and front paws, then ran to his kennel, unlatched the kennel gate, and hurried inside, where he sat with a big grin of contentment on his face. He was so happy to be back home! Wellington made it quite clear he did not like being outside the kennel. His heart’s desire was to be inside the kennel.
Are you like Wellington? Do you like to be close to your Master, or do you like to be outside the “kennel”? Wellington did not like being outside the kennel. The Bible calls it being cast out into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:12.). Wellington did not want to be cast out! He ran as fast as his stubby legs and big, strong body would move him, straight back to the master’s home. Do you run on the straight and narrow path for the kingdom of heaven, or are you looking to be outside the kingdom, doing your own thing in the outer darkness, far removed from the safety of the Master?
Wellington is a fine example of how we are to be in our actions, focus, and direction. He walks and acts like a champion, as we should walk and act as sons and daughters of the King. All he thought about that long, dark night was how he could return to the safe home of his master, just as we should always be striving for the heavenly home so we can be with our Saviour.
What are the requirements to enter the heavenly home? “Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14. When we walk on the straight and narrow path into that heavenly home, we will have a big grin of contentment on our faces, just like Wellington had.
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13, 14. Will you join me on the straight and narrow path to the heavenly home of happiness?