Tuesday

Dog the Bounty Hunter

You may or may not have heard of him. He has been doing it for many years and has 6,000 captures. He has a show on TV that is popular. He is Dog the Bounty Hunter. Each week he and his team band together and go out to get someone who has jumped bail or needs to go back jail. It is hard to describe, but they always seem to "speak the truth in love" to the person they have just captured. "You need to stop doing drugs." "You can not do this anymore. It is killing you."

They ask questions like, "Do you know where you are going now?" To jail. To rehab. "That's right." Simple stuff. Straightforward. Tonight one of the people they caught broke down and said, "I should have listened to my mommy."

The Holy Spirit is not Dog the Bounty Hunter. He is not my mommy. But, I was reminded of Him as I watched. Perhaps because I violate my "spiritual" probation or parole all the time. I am in need of Him to track me down, "re-capture me" and speak the truth in love. I don't know if you feel it often, but in a lucid moment, I realize I am on the lam. I am running from the One who has set me free and who says, "If you love me you will obey my commands." His commands are not burdensome and I often fail. I need the Holy Spirit to say to me, "You need to stop doing this. Running won't help. I love you."

The people Dog the Bounty Hunter captures seem to be relieved. Teary eyed and sad, but in a strange way, glad that it is now out of their control. They are powerless. They will get the help they need. Still, they will have to participate in the process, but someone loved them enough to call Dog and say, "Pick up my loved one and take him to get help."

Perhaps you have a friend. A family member. You. Someone who needs to be rescued from themselves again. The Spirit loves us. Jesus paid the penalty. All we need do is turn ourselves in (over) again. He loves us, will speak the truth to us and help us heal. And we will be relieved. Blessings