Headlines featuring God more often than not tend to make people shy away, at least that’s been my experience in the news business. It’s looked upon as just an emotional tug to get people interested. However, one has to wonder at times if indeed the hand of something greater than ourselves is at work. 

Meet Oreo, just another stray dog in the neighborhood. No one likely paid him much attention, perhaps throwing him some scraps every now and then. Until this incident, no one even knew his name or gave him one. 

One day, a little girl was running across the yard and another strya bursts from a wooded area and seems to be heading directly for her. No one really knew the dog’s intent, however there is the “better safe than sorry” angle when a child is approached by an unknown animal. 

That’s when, for some inexplicable reason, the dog now known as Oreo got involved, putting himself between the charging dog and the little girl. Oreo came out of the exchange worse for the wear and had to be treated for injuries. 

The family wasn’t looking to adopt a dog. Yet after watching Oreo put his safety on the line for this child, his new forever home was secured. 

Why did he do it? Who knows? It could have been simply a reaction to seeing another dog. It could have had nothing at all to do with the little girl. 

Then again, it could have been all about one dog understanding a need to protect, as so many of them do every single day. 

Oreo is going to spend the rest of his life pampered and loved. He will be by the side of this child as she gets older. And he will always have the love and affection of a family that sees him as a God-given gift. 

Good boy, Oreo.