Tap Dancing

“take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.”

One of the things that really excites Maggie in the early morning is her red leash.  She does a four legged tap dance all over the kitchen when I reach for it.  The leash means something special…in this case a walk, or a trip in the car, or a jaunt to pick up mail down the block.

She shames me because her joy is so apparent and mine is less so.  I don’t equate Maggie’s red leash with the one I choose to put on every day.  Mine is not a leash, but a yoke…which sounds unattractive.  But I remember that to be yoked is to be paired, and in the yoke I am invited to step into each morning, the strong force beside me is the Way of Jesus.  Everyday you and I choose a partner in the daily dance.  That partnering force can be fear or anger or despair.  They’re all waiting to sign you dance card.

Maggie wears her leash because I need to guide her around obstacles and potential harm that she does not recognize.  I teach her as we walk along together.  I guess you could say we’re yoked together.

You’ve heard the saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”.   Well, I’m living proof that the saying is wrong.  I learn something new every time I yoke up, every time I put on Christ as part of waking into the world for another day.  So tomorrow, somewhere around 5 a.m., if you feel the earth shake, don’t worry.  It’s just Maggie and me tap dancing as we hook up.

“take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.”

Matthew 11