Don't Excuse Your Dog's Sins or Your Own

We know a family who moved into a new house and experienced a painful welcome: When they introduced themselves to their neighbor, the neighbor's dog jumped up and bit the husband's hand, requiring stitches.

The neighbor insisted his dog was friendly and had never bitten anyone before. Four months later, when the dog bit another neighbor, the owner continued to claim his dog was friendly and safe.

What a great illustration of a Bible truth: When we excuse our sins, we end up damaging our relationships and refusing to repent.

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10

If we genuinely love God and our neighbors, we'll fully confess and repent of our sins and seek help and accountability to overcome them. 

I can't resist using Galatians 5:14-15 as a metaphor:

“The entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” 

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To read a positive devotion about dogs, see Dogs Tell Us Something about Our God.

See also The Damage of Defending Our Sins.

BLN