We have a cute little black pup about 4 months old. This pup is usually adorable but recently he has gotten into the habit of knocking over the trash cans and making a mess just to steal trash to chew on. I just got through catching him in the act and disciplined him. As I was cleaning up the mess a question popped into my mind, “How often are we like that pup?”

How often do we get into the trash to chew on gossip, pornography, drugs, or a multitude of other trashy things and leave a mess behind for God to clean up. How often does God have to discipline us, clean up after us because we haven’t yet learned we’re not supposed dig in the trash and steal something we’re not supposed to have no matter how fun it might be to play with it for the moment? I was angry because the pup hadn’t yet learned its lesson. I don’t like having to clean up unnecessary messes. I don’t like to have to correct the pup; I would much rather “give it love”. Is this the way God sees us sometimes?

Rod Anderson, Missionary in Brazil rodann@uol.com.br