Dogs do not Bark at their Familiar Friends

Samuel Rutherford had a knack for expressing great truths in a few words. He told a friend, who was stung by the criticisms of worldly people, “If ye were not strangers here, the dogs of the world would not bark at you.”

Indeed, those who are true to the Lord will often be dishonored, slandered, and treated as impostors (see 2 Corinthians 6:8). Jesus himself warned us, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (Jn 15:10).

It is, therefore, a huge mistake to measure our success by the reaction of the world to our message. Measured by that standard, Jesus was a failure and Simon (the magician) was a success (Acts 8:9-10).

We must remember that “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are” (1 Cor 1:27-28).

Now, of course, we must be careful that when the world slanders us it is indeed slander. They must not be given any proper cause of complaint. Any laziness or dishonesty on our part will ruin our good influence (cf 1 Pet 3:13-16). But if we do what is right and are criticized for it, that is what we should have expected. The dogs of this world will bark at strangers who ultimately belong to a different world. But “it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil” (1 Pet 3:17).

So, if a dog barks at you this week, consider the matter carefully. Perhaps he is paying you a compliment. Perhaps he is acknowledging your identification with the Lord.