• If people will not listen.
• If people are stubborn.
• If people keep doing whatever they want.
• If people follow their own evil desires of their hearts.
• If people move backwards rather than forward—are they the people of God?

We have a daughter who has a beautiful golden retriever, a faithful friend, and as such, this dog spends time at our home.  When our daughter is not present, then I must place the leash on the dog before I take her outside for walks.  However, when our daughter is present at the house, she can open the front door, allowing her golden to run free in our front yard.  The difference in obedience is notable, for the dog’s master is present.

When our daughter gives her dog a command, then obedience is expected.  Nonetheless, there have been times when her dog has not listened.  One example of this occurred just last week.  Normally, the golden will be granted freedom to run in the front yard, and usually, this is where she stays, but that was not the case on that particular day.  Immediately after racing off the front porch, the dog took to the front yard, running freely and only stopping long enough to roll in the grass.  Then she spotted our hayfield across the driveway, and as if an enticing beacon was bidding her come, the dog’s ears perked up as she gazed into that forbidden land—right before she took off, racing to the place she knew she was not to go.  At that moment, our daughter shouted a command, ordering her golden to return TO the place where the dog knew she was to be, returning FROM the hayfield, the place where she knew she was NOT to be.

Well, let me just say: the golden retriever suddenly had selective hearing.  This action caused her master (our daughter) to step closer in proximity to the dog and sternly repeat her command to return from the hayfield to the front yard.

For a few moments, the golden acted as if she could not hear our daughter’s repeated command.  This is the same dog that can hear a sound made in the living room—even when the dog is resting on her bed down the hall, behind a closed door.  Her ability to hear with a “dog’s keen hearing” is perfect; however, when running in unabashed freedom outside, her hearing seems to lose its keenness.