Wednesday, May 2, 2018

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  (Colossians 3:12)

Our dog Charlie – the smart one? – has an addiction problem.  He has taken to chewing and eating the shredded black mulch that surrounds our back yard. Heaven only knows what this stuff is treated with or what exactly it is composed of. But he loves the stuff – can’t stop chewing it. If I yell at him to stop he just glares and goes off and sulks. How bad is it? One morning, he grabbed a mouthful and went off to the far corner of the yard and hid under one of the big pine trees, assuming I wouldn’t catch him enjoying his bad habit. I may have to enrol him in a 12 Step program. Is there a Mulch Anonymous for dogs?

Perhaps I shouldn’t be so judgmental. I have a few bad habits of my own, some of which aren’t all that healthful either.

It is so easy to cultivate a bad habit, isn’t it? Just as it is easy also to fall out of good habits. We can get lazy, indifferent, neglectful, thoughtless or carless and before we know it we have fallen into a nasty, little habit that does us or anybody else no good at all. Sometimes these little habits grow into something bigger and more detrimental to our well-being. If we take any notice at all we may make excuses, come up with rationalizations, and try to validate and justify our behaviour.

It is equally important to catch what Paul is writing just prior to our above text. “It wasn't long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it's all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, abusive talk. Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire.” (Colossians 3: 7-9, The Message Bible)

There is a TV ad for an anti-smoking medication that has some interesting fine print at the bottom of the ad. This medication works best with “will power” and that, in fact, there is no substitute for this will power.

Jesus once commented, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”  (Luke 11:28)  The problem for us is that Jesus practiced what he preached. Sometimes we quit on Jesus because he is too good for us to follow. We feel we can’t measure up. But I think Jesus has more faith in our capacity for good practices than we do. “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.” (John 13: 15 – 17, NLT)

So if you are dealing with some variety of “mulch chewing” in you personal life ask yourself whether it is time to deal with it. Then replace whatever it was with something that is good for you. “So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline.” (The Message Bible)

Blessings! 

Dale