Articles
A Dogged Servant
If you were to go to the Shibuya train station in Tokyo, Japan, you would see a bronze statue honoring a dog named Hachiko.
Hachiko was born in 1923. His master was a professor at the Tokyo Imperial University. The professor would commute home on the train, getting off at the Shibuya train station. Every day, when his master disembarked at the station, Hachiko would be there to greet him.
On May 21, 1925, Hachiko’s master suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while at work and never returned home. For the next nine years, nine months, and fifteen days, Hachiko would go to the Shibuya train station, faithfully awaiting his master’s return. The devotion he showed caused him to be long venerated by the nation of Japan.
Christians can relate to this story, because we also wait for our Master, Jesus, to return. He warns us in Matthew 24 that we must be ready, because He will come when we don’t expect it (v44). Furthermore, He desires to find his servants doing the work set for them to do (v45, 46) and will exact a terrible punishment upon those who are not found doing so (v51).
While the reunion of Hachiko and his master were not to be, we can well imagine the joy that such a meeting would bring between servant and master! Therefore, let us not grow weary of doing good (Galatians 6:9) and guard ourselves against the trap of relaxing our focus on Him who saves (2 Peter 3:4-8). Instead, let us take advantage of God’s patience, look forward to His appearing (2Peter 3:9-15), and be faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10). “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.” - Luke 12:37 (NKJV)
Joshua Pettigrew
Monticello church of Christ
