I Do Not Understand (The Dog Story)

Way back when I was a teenager, I knew everything.
Nobody could tell me anything I didn't already know! Well, as I got older I guess I got dumber, because it began to dawn on me that there were two or three things I didn't know.
As time went on, I began to realize there were actually quite a lot of things I didn't understand at all.
The more I tried to figure things out, the more questions I had.
Then, one day, I heard a story about a man and his dog.
That story went a long way toward helping me have a better understanding of what this life and my role in it is all about.
Maybe the "dog story" will help you too.
Here is the dog story: There was once a man who trained his young dog to go out to the end of his driveway and pick up the daily newspaper, come back to the house and give the paper to the man.
Friends and neighbors often remarked at what a smart dog the man had.
The dog felt good about his accomplishment too.
The man, who was the dog's god, always patted the dog's head and told him what a good fella he was.
But, there was one problem.
The dog noticed that when he gave the man the paper, the man went to his easy chair, sat down, opened the paper, and held it up in front of his face.
Sometimes he held it there for hours at a time.
The dog watched and waited and at the same time he seemed to wonder to himself, "What is my master doing?" The loyal, obedient dog and his loving god (master) have gone through this routine every day now for many years.
The old dog is still at his master's side, still watching and still trying to understand what his god, the man, is doing.
Now-a-days, when the problems of life perplex me or when I get to a part of the Bible that I don't understand in spite of all the research I do and the questions I ask others around me, I'm reminded of the man and his dog.
Then, as the dog might have done, I just say in prayer: "God I know You know - but, even after all of these years, I still do not understand!"