Jack and Charlie

I recently watched a special on PBS about unlikely animal pairs. Featured on this program was a horse named Charlie and a goat named Jack. The two somehow connected in a way that took their animal rescue owner by surprise. As years passed, Charlie the horse lost his vision in one eye and then eventually lost his vision in both eyes. The owner was sad to think that she would most likely need to put him down soon.

However, to her amazement, Jack the goat stepped up for his friend. Jack became his right hand companion and vision leader. Jack began leading Charlie to a far off plot of land that had prime grazing landscape. Jack would never walk more than 15 feet in front of Charlie and would wait the entire time Charlie grazed. When Charlie got finished grazing, the goat would very slowly lead him back to their home.

One day, a tornado was in the area and a huge storm struck. Jack came and frantically got the owner and led her to Charlie who was stuck in some tree branches. Even in the middle of a storm, Jack didn’t give up until he made sure his horse friend was safe.

One of the most insightful statements I have ever heard was spoken by the owner on this program. She said this about Jack: “He gets absolutely nothing out of this relationship.” Charlie was weak and he was limited in what he could offer but he was Jack’s friend. He did absolutely nothing to help Jack, but still Jack day after day cared for and tended to him. Jack was strong where Charlie was weak and he led him loyally day after day.

The first time Jack ever left Charlie’s side since the horse lost his sight was the day Charlie passed away. Charlie laid down for a final rest and Jack walked away from his side and went and laid down by himself.

This story was so powerful to me because I think this goat gets something that sadly most of us don’t. He didn’t abandon his friend in his time of need, and he wasn’t worried about what his friend wasn’t giving him. He saw that he could help him and so he never left his side. Often times, we are with someone as long as they are making us happy or giving us what we think we need. We say we love someone but if we are honest, we love what they do for us because when they don’t do for us our love wanes.

John 15:13

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Laying down your life doesn’t just mean dying, although Jesus showed in the greatest form ever this verse lived out. It can also mean laying down what I think I need to get from someone before I love. I don’t need someone to do this or that for me; I need Jesus. He loved me when I was doing absolutely nothing for Him and now I can love others with the same love He showed me.

Jack the goat will now be one of my most inspirational influences in how I view love. His love resembles the love of Jesus much more than most humans I know. It could be said of how he loved: “He gets absolutely nothing out of this relationship.” And yet he gives. I don’t love because of what you give me; I love because Love is Who consumes me.

Love is not focusing on what I have lost but on what the other person stands to gain.

Jesus, thank You so much for allowing me to see the relationship between Jack and Charlie. That goat was so faithful to Charlie and it had nothing to do with what Charlie did for him. Please help me to die to my selfishness and be willing to lay down what I thought I needed to get from someone else in order to love them. What I need is You and that’s all I need. Please help me give selflessly like You did when You died for me and how Jack did when he laid down his life for his friend.

#love #commitment #relationships