Charlie

Charlie is a dog in a rat's body.  You might presume that Charlie would be meek, mild, and yappy.  In reality, she is anything but.  The difference rests in the fact that Charlie does not see herself as a Chihuahua.  She appears to see herself as a younger version of her non-biological sister Mollie.  Mollie is a seventy-pound, almost no body fat, Rhodesian Ridgeback.  Charlie is confident that she has every right to be the same.
Charlie is bold, arrogant, and at times very aggressive.  She is also kind, loving, and attentive.  As Mollie and her walk besides each other, you know they have a shared love of the same things.  It is an unusual friendship that works in way that is uniquely their own, especially when it comes to people they care about.  If a stranger makes a move, their body language screams, “I am telling you: Hands off these men!  Let them alone.”  (Acts 5.38)  If you dare to cross the line, the threat will be made real.
I often find myself surprised by the actions of others.  Those I think will stand and fight, do not.  Others that naturally would seem to take a meek, servant like approach do not.  As I gently seek to understand what lies underneath the surface, I have come to a simple conclusion.  The difference rests in how one sees one's self in the mirror.  When someone look's at their soul with confidence everything that follows comes infused with power and a willingness to engage.  When one's sight reflects confusion, uncertainty, and absence of confidence, then the actions that follow are defensive and often filled with anger and frustration.
We do not need to see ourselves solely through our natural eyes.  We can look at ourselves through the eyes of God.  Divinity says we are priceless children of God.  Divinity empowers us as representatives of God.  We are treasured pearls that have been redeemed at an incredible price.  We live in human bodies, yet we are part of an eternal story.  Charlie gets it.  We can as well.