After a friendly stray dog showed up at our house without an ID tag, I put him in a spare kennel. A neighbor found the owner, who lived 3 miles away.

About a week later, the owner came and took his dog home. While the stray was in our kennel, our Great Pyrenees guard dogs grew acquainted with him and apparently thought he belonged here.

After a few days, the same dog was back, chasing my sheep. My dogs were following and watching to make sure he didn’t harm any sheep. Eventually, though, disaster did strike.

We had several bitter-cold days with several inches of snow. I found nine dead sheep among my 250-head flock. Finding no bite marks, I concluded the sheep had been chased and stressed to the point that they used up reserve energy, then died — the consequences of an overly energetic, playful dog. Unintended or not, my sheep were dead.

Facing unintended consequences
If you’ve lived more than 50 years, you’ve seen much cultural change — much of it not so good. Many of our society’s guard dogs have misinterpreted friendly “feel good” changes in government, schools, entertainment and, yes, churches — changes now coming back to bite.

Open borders for all, including criminals, with taxpayer support is just one. And, Christians seem to be the only group not to be tolerated when they disagree.

We must, however, remember what Proverbs 19:21 says: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it’s the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” In other words, God is still in control.

That’s why Bible-teaching churches are proliferating at an accelerating pace — growing with young people. Homeschooling also is growing at a rapid rate. Both may be important ways for getting America back on the right track.

Dennis Rowan
Gap Mills, W.Va.

Rowan owns Psalm 23 Camp and has been a member of Fellowship of Christian Farmers International. For more about FCFI, visit fcfi.org.