On Biting and Devouring

Some time ago, Cindy Byrd sent me a video clip a dog with a bone. He reaches up with his hind leg to scratch his ear or something, but the dog evidently sees his leg as a rival that is after his bone. He is so intent on protecting his bone that he growls at and snaps at and then finally pounces on his own leg. Click here to see the video.

That reminds me too much of how the church acts at times. We can be so intent on eating our bone (our perspectives, interpretations, traditions) that we are suspicious of and snap at other believers not realizing that we are attacking our own body. I wonder if we look as silly to the world and to God as the dog in the video looks to us!

The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:14-15)