Too Many Dogs

I have used this phrase on several occasions in talking with others, in sermons, and in classes. The idea of “too many dogs” came from a recent situation where myself and brother Eric Krieg were door knocking around the community where he works with in Medina Ohio.


We hit a certain part of the community and it was kind of hit and miss the entire day with people being at home. We came to this one home and the door was open but the storm door was shut. You could see in the kitchen a couple of people were sitting down, younger folks. We rang the door bell and there were two as I call them ankle biter dogs yipping away. They were quiet until the door rang. The young man came to the door opened it and said “I have too many dogs” and shut the door. We did not get a single word out and that was it.

I think about this event quite often not thinking about the fact we couldn’t a word out but the fact that many have this same concept. What this is, is a crutch is used to get out of obeying God. Whatever excuse can be used one will use it and think that it is okay.

I think quite often about the Judgment Day and how we will be judged by God (II Corinthians 5:10). I think about one who has made an excuse on every occasion to not obey God and think of how sad and pitiful of condition one will be in. On that day if one said Lord I had too many dogs or just fill in the blank with anything, do you think that will be acceptable?

Jesus says that those who deny Him will be denied in heaven (Matthew 10:33). If we reject Christ and His teachings and His purpose and God and His will we will be denied in heaven. There will be no excuses to get by God on the Judgment Day! There isn’t a do-over or a second chance to change what we could have changed. The gospel has been presented and given once and for all (Jude 3-4). It is up to us to make the change of attitude and heart to obey God’s will before it is too late. Will we make the excuse or will we have an open heart, and open mind, and open ears to hear the gospel?

I think a lot about the parable of the Great Supper from Luke 14:15-24. I think about how Jesus uses the illustration the supper that was prepared the supper representing heaven. Many were invited however some decided not to come. Notice what was said: I have bought land and now I must go and see it, I bought oxen now I must go and test them, and then there was I have a wife and cannot come.

Were these reasons or excuses? What happened after this? The person who prepared the supper came to a conclusion and said bring the poor the maimed and the blind bring everyone in to be part of this supper. These individuals that were invited made an excuse and decided they had more important things to do than be part of this supper. How many of us would buy property blindly, and then make sure it was decent property? How many of us would buy a car blindly, without “kicking the tires”? The last one had some reasoning because under some customs then they were allowed time with their wife before getting back to work and getting all adjusted. However we cannot do that when it comes to God (Matthew 10:37-39). We must place God first before anything else.

All these individuals made their choice and decided that God was not that important. That was one of the key and critical lessons from this great parable. The ones who it was offered to first rejected it and if they do not change they will never taste the heaven as a reward.

Do we have too many dogs? Do we have a crutch that we lean on to not obey God? Do we have an excuse that we feel is justified? Will an excuse work? What is holding us back from obeying the will of God? Those who desire and obey God will be saved (Matthew 7:21)

We in fact need God and His doctrine in order to be saved (II John 9)! We need to make the great confession known to others about our belief and obedience to God (Matthew 10:32). In return Jesus will confess our name before God the Father in heaven!

We cannot lean on those crutches or convince ourselves that excuses will be allowed when it comes to rejecting and obeying God. There is nothing more important than our soul in this life. We must take care of it and that is by obeying God and putting off the cares of the world and the excuses of hindering our obedience. It is time to put the ways of a child behind us and now turn to and obey God while we have time now (I Corinthians 13:11). It is time to let the dogs go and obey God, will you?

Daniel Sanders