I saw something different today. Well, it was the same thing I see almost every day, only with a different perspective As I drove to work, I passed some terrier-type mongrel leading its person down the sidewalk. Common enough. And its person was carrying a little plastic bag containing goodies deposited by the dog and retrieved by its man. Again, expected, normal. Then the reality of that scene hit me.....
When did it become so common-place that it became acceptable for a dog owner to follow the dog while carrying its poop? Really?
Immediately following that little nugget came another realization. That's how I look when I follow Satan around, letting him lead, while I willingly carry his bag of lies. Whoa. OK. Wait. No. It's not really like that, I reasoned. But the more I pondered, I realized, YES. It is exactly like that.
Just as the dog owner thinks nothing of following the dog, seeing nothing embarrassing or detrimental about it, I follow Satan. He's slick, people. Without realizing it, we pad right along behind him. We make choices that honor him. And allow habits that support his agenda in our lives. We like to call it selfishness or pride. And these are areas we are "working on" spiritually. But we are never stagnant. And while we allow these "tendencies" in our lives to any extent, Satan uses them and mostly, we never even know it. Then, there's the little bag....
Satan is a master deceiver. He never shows up as the little red man with horns and a pitchfork. Oh no. He helps us reason in such a way that how we are living seems right, good. But when we place our thoughts, attitudes, desires, motivations, not to mention our actions alongside God's Word and compare our reasoning (world view/how we live life) to what God desires/commands of us....Well, it's not a pretty picture. Open your little bag and take a whiff---there ya go. Now we are getting to the truth of what's going on in our lives. IT STINKS!!
Satan tells us we have no value. NOT TRUE! He tells us we need to take care of ourselves first. NOT TRUE! He says a little sin in our lives doesn't really make a difference. SO NOT TRUE! He says there is no possibility for reconciliation. NO. NO. NO. He helps us choose comfort over sacrifice, selfishness over service, judgement over love, pride over humility, MY desires over God's desires for my life.
Proper dog walking dictates that the human leads, the dog follows. ("Get thee behind me, Satan!) And though I do support cleaning up after your dog, I suggest that all of us be careful not to pick up Satan's refuse. It has no value for us......and it interrupts our relationship with Christ.
