Testing the Limit
My dog Jack is not fond of cats. He is a Blue Healer which means he is a herding dog. He might be good at herding sheep, but I have not yet found a cat that likes to be herded. So, we have rules for Jack in our house to keep lamps from being knocked off end tables. No herding cats. For two years we separated the kitchen area from the rest of the house with a gate. After two years Jack got the message, stay in the kitchen. The gate has come down.
If you could see what happened next. Our black cat torments Jack by lying down six inches outside the kitchen while Jack lays down about six inches inside the kitchen. They have this stare down. I am so impressed by Jack’s self-control.
However, when the cat is not there, Jack puts half his furry body inside the kitchen and half outside the kitchen. He gives me this look before I command him to get his entire body back inside the kitchen. He knows. He just wants to see how far he can go without getting corrected.
Humans are no different. We dabble in sin, hoping no one will notice or hoping we will not get caught. Think about all the things you did as a kid with that thought in your mind. As we grow older, we get better at the craft of avoiding detection. God wants us to keep our distance from sin.
“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22 NIV
This message reminds me of the little boy who was way too smart for his own britches. 🙂