May You Never Grow Up
Must it even be fed?
J. Edwin Orr tells of meeting a “pastor describing the war between the Old and New Natures, concluding that the Old Nature could not be defeated in this life. He quoted a well-known story of a Hopi Indian, giving his testimony in a meeting crowded with braves and squaws. The big man told his audience that, before his conversion, he used to go to town on Saturday night and get drunk, and then his big black dog used to bite everybody. After Jesus Christ came into his 
life, He gave him a great white dog, which liked to help everybody. But now the two dogs, fought against each other. A chief sitting on the front seat asked the important question: ‘Which dog winning?’ Said the brave, after careful reflection: ‘Whichever dog I feed the most!’
I expected the pastor to say: ‘That’s a picture of a carnal Christian!’ Instead he said that it was a picture of a Christian until the day of his death.
So I sought out the preacher, and spoke with him in this way: ‘There are some Christians who say that we can shoot the old black dog dead, but they agree that we can raise another black pup; so let’s not bother about that. But don’t you believe that it is possible to chain the old black dog up to keep him from doing damage? And don’t you believe that it is possible not to feed the old black dog at all?’
J. Edwin Orr, Chapter 10, “Sanctification Threefold.” Full Surrender.
life, He gave him a great white dog, which liked to help everybody. But now the two dogs, fought against each other. A chief sitting on the front seat asked the important question: ‘Which dog winning?’ Said the brave, after careful reflection: ‘Whichever dog I feed the most!’I expected the pastor to say: ‘That’s a picture of a carnal Christian!’ Instead he said that it was a picture of a Christian until the day of his death.
So I sought out the preacher, and spoke with him in this way: ‘There are some Christians who say that we can shoot the old black dog dead, but they agree that we can raise another black pup; so let’s not bother about that. But don’t you believe that it is possible to chain the old black dog up to keep him from doing damage? And don’t you believe that it is possible not to feed the old black dog at all?’
J. Edwin Orr, Chapter 10, “Sanctification Threefold.” Full Surrender.
Popular posts from this blog
The Smooth-flowing Life
Legend has it that the astronomer Ptolemy (1st century A.D.) suggested that falling stars were caused by the gods moving in the heavens, thus knocking stars out of their places. Somehow people reasoned that that if the gods were moving, they must be getting close to earth so they would lift their "prayers" or "wishes" (literally, "desires") whenever they saw the stars falling in hopes the gods would notice and grant a favorable answer. But how does one wish on falling star? Once you see it, it's gone before the wish or prayer can be made! The answer is simple: meteor shower. That's how to get your wish. Mrs. Ann Hodges had a wish fall right into her lap. Sort of. In 1954 Mrs. Hodges was sleeping on the couch when a 8 1/2 pound meteorite fell through her house and into her living room where it bounced off the radio and struck her left hip leaving her with a bruise. Not sure what she was wishing, but that's not how to do it. Epictetus hel...
Rock Me, Epictetus!
“Keep constant guard over your perceptions, for it is no small thing you are protecting, but your respect, trustworthiness and steadiness, peace of mind, freedom from pain and fear, in a word your freedom. For what would you sell these things?” EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.3.6 b –8
Three New Additions To My Desk
Actually, it’s an ad-duck-tion. I missed the perfect opportunity to say, “and they’re in a row, too!” Silly goose.