Nicely Bad Dog

Church claims we’re ultimately bad at our core and this is why we need redemption.

But I have a friend who seems really, really good. For the past couple weekends he has been helping his older friend clean out her briar patch yard. He mentors a young man. He has a job helping alcoholics get their lives together. He happens to be a Christian but I’m certain there are non-Christians even better than that. Non-profits, volunteering, generous with their wealth.

So, after seeing people like this, how could we really think all people are bad at their core?

I found an answer when I started thinking about what makes dogs good dogs or bad dogs.

A dog can be really friendly and helpful, licking strangers and rounding up children, but if my dog consistently disobeys me and runs into the street to get to the children on the other side, he is a bad dog.

So even if we do good things, we are bad to God if we are disobedient.

I used to do a lot of good things. But lately I’ve realized that I was probably doing them to allay my conscience, to impress others, and so I could reap the benefits of being nice to everybody. However, now I’m realizing that I can do a lot of good things but if I am not doing the things my master is telling me to do, I am not being good at all. I am just being selfish.

Raw Spoon