Watch the movie “Eight Below!” You will love it” With those words, (and my love for dogs!) my curiosity was piqued, and so, I traveled on down to my local video rental and got “Eight Below.” In this movie, a man takes a scientist to explore a certain region in Antartica, but on the return the scientist is injured, which necessitates the whole team’s removal from the site in Antartica. As they all left immediately, it was impossible to take the heroic sled dogs, which had rescued the scientist as well as the owner. The promise was that as soon as they got to their other base of operations, someone would immediately fly back to retrieve the sled dogs. However, the team barely made it out, as a massive storm hit and no one was able to make it back.

The sled dog owner was crushed, how could his dogs survive through the terrible Antartic winter, especially since they had tied them securely to the chain? He tried all manner of things to attempt a rescue, meanwhile, the hope of the dogs survival dwindled. Begging, pleading, imploring, trying to raise the necessary funding to pay a crew to fly him back for his beloved dogs. For months he tried everything in his power, all without success. Still, not giving up hope, after months had passed, he headed to southmost point, to try to bribe a captain into taking him close enough attempt a landing, no captain would venture out.

Without telling you the end, I must draw on the commitment and the zeal which drove this man to try to rescue his beloved dogs, beyond all hope that they would ever survive, he pressed on. He knocked on every door, went to everyone who could possibly have helped him. Still, though no one would do anything, he was ready and willing to risk his whole life, facing into almost certain death, to accomplish his mission.

And this for dogs! We watch the movie and cry a few tears for the dogs abandoned, and we applaud this man’s courage and commitment, yet it was all for a few dogs! Now, don’t get me wrong, if there ever was a dog lover, I am one of them! I have had many dogs, and wept whenever one of them died. I love dogs.

BUT …. Not nearly as much as I love people…. And yet, how many of us can do half as much for the thousands, and yes, millions of people out there who do not know the name of Jesus, who do not call Him Savior? What of the people suffering through famine? The Christians enslaved or in prison? Those who trudge daily in the grime and mud of enforced slavery to pay back $100 lent over a hundred years ago? The children working in factories, to paint the wonderful jewelry we buy so cheaply here, the tiny hands weaving the prized tapestries of orient. The children on the streets of Mexico City, “huffing” inhaling gasoline, and glue to get a high and forget they do not have a place to spend the night and do not know whether they will last till morning – not that anyone cares or even knows their names…. Those who pick through and live in the garbage…Families who sell their children into slavery and prostitution…

Do I have the commitment, the enduring love to raise my voice for them, for months? While many will then say they do not want to be involved politically, this is not political, this is following in the footsteps of Jesus!
WoW! Will we even do as much as a committed man was willing to do for his dogs?