Lori, Tyler, and Bandit the dog were sitting on the couch. Tyler reached out to touch Bandit, and Bandit attacked him. In surprise, Tyler withdrew his hand. Alarmed, Lori reached out and put her hands around Bandit in a caressing, consoling way.
Cesar Millan, known as the Dog Whisperer, said to Lori, “I love dogs. . . . But I would never choose a dog over my son.” Lori had chosen her pet Chihuahua over her own flesh and blood! Stories like this make me wonder what’s gone wrong with our world.
In Judges 19, we read of an unnamed Levite. Though Levites were the priestly tribe in Israel, it’s obvious that some were as messed up as the people they were supposed to lead. You see, the Levite had a concubine. They quarreled and she ran to her father’s home (Judges 19:2). After 4 months, the man decided to go after her and win her back. He and his father-in-law got along well, and they spent 5 days visiting together. Finally, the couple decided to leave (Judges 19:10).
What happened next is revolting. We read of the perverted desires of a group of men in the city where the couple lodged, and of gang rape leading to murder. How could a man sacrifice a woman to save his own skin, and then summon her to get up from the ground when he found her in the morning? (Judges 19:25-28).
Paul explains it in Romans 1:28-29, “Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.”
Whether in the Judges’ era, Paul’s, or ours, unchecked sin can lead to a downward spiral of depravity.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Matthew 7:1-12
More:
Read Psalm 81:11-16 to see what God said He would do to His people if they didn’t repent (vv.11-12), and what He desired to do for His people if they turned and followed Him (vv.13-16).
Next:
What other examples of moral and spiritual collapse—where people chose sin instead of God’s way—can you recall? What sin do you need to deal with today?
Soldier4Christ on July 3, 2011 at 6:16 am
Not unlike those days, we in America and around the world are living the same way. Many believe that Christians are fools and there is a growing and or continuing trend of pushing God out and filling lives with every kind of sin imaginable. I pray that we as a nation turn back to God before it is too late! Light and darkness cannot co-exist, I chose to walk in the light.
winn collier on July 3, 2011 at 9:36 am
I can’t get away from the opening story. That’s really telling.
daisymarygoldr on July 3, 2011 at 9:46 am
This is somewhat similar to the incident that happened in the heathen city of Sodom. The sin of sodomy was practiced in Israel at a time when everybody did that which was right in his own eyes. Israel is a chosen people who were called out of Egypt and separated for God to not walk in the ways of heathen nations.
It took a repulsive lawless act to awaken Israel out of her apostasy. For, in Judges 20 we see the whole nation of Israel united to bring justice to the immorality of Benjamin.. The battle of Gibeah resulted in the death of most members belonging to the tribe of Benjamin.
So, how does this apply to us today? It is typical for sin to exist outside in a heathen society. We are not called to judge outsiders. But when Christians shamelessly practice immorality, then it is our responsibility to judge those inside the church (1 Cori 5:12).
If we don’t then it will lead to lawlessness (1 John 3:4) within the church. The church is a chosen people called out of the world and separated unto the Lord to not conform to the patterns of the world.
Jesus tells us to judge correctly. So, all forms of sin must be put to death—first in me and then in others. For, if we judge ourselves then we would not be judged and chastened by the Lord. (1 Corinthians 11: 31-32).
mike wittmer on July 4, 2011 at 8:19 am
This is chilling, Poh. Last week a TV commentator was describing how a man who had organized a dog killing ring was unforgiveable and could never be fully rehabilitated. I am outraged by what the man did as much as anyone, but I couldn’t help but think that our country accepts millions of aborted humans but stands up for dogs. Of course we should defend our pets, but why not humans even more?
alli on July 5, 2011 at 9:34 pm
ppl in this society have more concern with dogs than ppl, having a dog ring is cruel, whats even more cruel is the living conditions some youths are living in that turns them into ppl who harm animals. ppl kill ants and bugs, but its cruel to cruficy a man for his treatment of animals if the human is living worse than one because those over him feel he is no better than an animal in the first place.
alli on July 5, 2011 at 9:37 pm
there are millions of children living like animals today and peta has a program yet young men with no fathers b/c they have been killed or in prison do not have an advocate, where is the justice in that. Dogs are better than humans?