A Hungry Little Dog

Every Friday morning a group of us meet at a local restaurant for breakfast. 

We sit at the same table, each in the same chairs.  We enjoy the sharing, fellowship and laughing which occurs between the six of us.  Personally, I look forward to it so much, I usually attend after having worked a 12 hour shift in the hospital.  Once we have finished our meal, we sit at the table for a while talking,  then we move outside the restaurant and stand in the parking lot chatting for another fifteen minutes or so just because we enjoy each other's company so much.

 (Photo credit: Jack Fiallos)

This last week, as we were standing outside talking, a stray dog came up to us.  He was clearly hungry and was looking intently at anyone who even remotely appeared to have any food on them.  

This hungry little pup  had no discrimination, no discernment as to what the food might be -- he was hungry enough to eat anything. Our friend Steve tossed him a biscuit that he was taking home for later, and the little dog scarfed it down in just a few seconds, then started looking around for something else to eat.

Our little dog friend reminded me of a spiritual truth.

 We are spiritual beings and if we don't make sure we take in the right spiritual food, we might find ourselves "eating" just about anything, like our dog friend, without any discretion or discernment whatsoever.  

Have you ever listened to a television or radio "preacher" that you knew was way off from the truth of the Scriptures and wondered how anyone could ever continue to listen or follow that person?  Perhaps this is why.  Perhaps they ignored their spiritual sustenance until they reached the point they would consume anything whatsoever, even if it was far from the truth.  Maybe their spiritual hunger caused them to no longer be able to discern what was the truth and they just sought to be fed with anything.  Our spirits long to be sustained with something, which is why there are so many deceptions and distractions out their for us to avoid.

We would not go days without eating any food, or conversely, we would not eat ice cream and candy for days (although we may be tempted to) because we know our bodies need protein, they need vegetables that will give us vitamins and minerals.  Our spiritual bodies need the same attention and vigilance.  Let us be mindful to feed our spiritual bodies with sure and true food so that we will not be tempted to ingest just anything tossed to us by strangers.

 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; 

reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; 

but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, 

having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, 

and shall be turned unto fables." 
2 Timothy 4:2-4

"But there were false prophets also among the people, 

even as there shall be false teachers among you, 

who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, 

even denying the Lord that bought them, 

and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  

And many shall follow their pernicious ways; 

by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 

 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words 

make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."2 Peter 2:1-3