“Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.” Proverbs 26:11
Devotional Thought For The Day
As a young person growing up “in town” and with no pets, this proverb seemed quite strange to me. As I’ve gone through life I have often marveled at how many things I didn’t learn as a child simply because we weren’t exposed to farm life. I’m certain that people who grow up in agrarian circumstances have to learn a lot about “city” life as they get older and go through life. It was not until my college days, on a pheasant hunting trip, that I actually saw the point of reference in this proverb, a dog returning to his vomit. I’ll have to say that it wasn’t pleasant at all – although the dog seemed to enjoy it. And this is the point about the fool. Although what he is doing, his folly, is repulsive and disgusting to everyone else, he is so attracted to it that he keeps returning to it, committing the same sins over and over again.
At this point we should recognize the foolishness of sin in our own behavior, and our “likeness” to the fool. Perhaps we don’t continue committing egregious and repulsive sins, but the more subtle sins that we continually battle are equally damnable and destructive – greed, envy, lust, anger, malice, hatred, self-righteousness, uncharitable judging of others, false beliefs, and ignorance of or outright rejection of God’s written Word, the Bible. Our sinful nature, which compels these things and makes them feel so natural, is foolish through and through, 100 percent a “fool.” So we often find ourselves thinking the same vomitous thoughts, and behaving in ways that are sickeningly inconsonant with real and genuine love. There is no curing or healing or reformation of this sinful nature – it can only be put to death. Therefore the thought that we can commend ourselves and our good works to God is also vomitous, for even our “righteousnesses” are as filthy rags. [Is. 64:6] Likewise, given this natural condition, if any good is found within us it must be totally and completely the gift of God, evidence of the power of His love and goodness in Christ Jesus. [James 1:17,18]
Thankfully God has delivered us from our disgusting sin, providing us with full and complete forgiveness and pardon for all of our sins. Without this gracious mercy and forgiveness, there could be no hope for any human being. In the knowledge of His gracious love and mercy we are being transformed [by faith], into His image, from one degree of glory to another, so that we become “firstfruits” of His new creation. [2 Cor. 3:18; James 1:18] This transformation happens as we are “beholding the glory of the LORD,” through “the word of truth,” God’s own Word from Holy Scripture. It is His love alone, received through repentance and faith in Jesus, that “kills” the fool in us and recreates decency and genuine love and righteousness within us. This process continues, and is not complete, until we “see Him as He is” [1 John 3:2], and so in this life we are constantly in need of His gracious and renewing forgiveness, mercy, and love. We must return to this each time we realize that we have returned to the vomit of sin, whether sins of thought, word, or deed. When we do, we have His assurance that “if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” [1 John 1:9]
This explains the importance of daily repentance and weekly worship, and the nature of truly Christian worship. It also dictates our relationships with one another within the church, loving enough to gently and humbly confront sin, and loving enough to graciously forgive and accept one another. We can do nothing on our own; only Christ the Vine can provide us with the spiritual nurture and sustenance that we need to bear such good fruit. [John 15:5] May He continue to grant us such transformation and renewal that we return less and less to our vomit, until the day that we truly see Him as He is!
Scripture Cited
James 1:17,18 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with Whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”
2 Cor. 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, You know perfectly the incorrigibility of our wretched sinful nature. For this You suffered and died on the cross, taking our sin and guilt upon Yourself, and removing it from us. In Your love You continue to patiently renew our hearts and minds, through repentance and faith. Grant us continued growth in newness of life, that we are compelled to return to what is truly good and loving. Amen.