Doggin’ Sin

by Kathy Howard @KathyHHoward

…Sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.                                                                                                                                                        Genesis 4:7 NASB

One day, the Boys treed a squirrel. I came outside to find two of the smaller limbs of our large cottonwood tree hanging against the trunk, the obvious result of the bigger boy trying to get to the furry rodent. (By the way, “the Boys” is our collective name for Boone and Remi. Boone – Boy #1 – is an 80-pound yellow lab, and Remi – Boy #2—is an energetic, 11 pound rescue pup. The two are great friends.)

While I stood there trying to decide what to do, the squirrel leaped to the ground and took off across the back yard with Boone in hot pursuit. The squirrel jumped into the globe willow near the back fence and hustled to the upper branches.

When Boone reared up on the small tree he reached halfway to where the squirrel sat. The squirrel barked; Boone barked and howled; Remi yipped and circled; and several neighborhood dogs even joined the chorus.

Something had to be done before my willow tree became a casualty of war. I put Remi in the house. Then I dragged Boone by the collar to the patio and held him there to give the enemy a chance to escape.

After several minutes, the squirrel inched down the trunk of the willow and jumped to the ground. Unfortunately, at that moment I lost my grip on Boone and off he went to catch his prey. The squirrel climbed the 6-foot wooden fence and scurried along the top. But instead of leaping over it to safety, it hopped into one of two small Bradford Pear trees in the corner flower bed.

Focused on his mission, Boone thundered into the flower bed plowing over small shrubs as he went. The squirrel taunted him, hopping from one pear tree to the other and back again, Boon doggin’ his every step. The trees whipped from one side to the other as the chase continued, while I desperately tried to catch and hold the dog.

The wicked squirrel could have easily escaped, but instead, it hit the ground and took off back toward the house with Boone in hot pursuit. When the squirrel reached the cottonwood tree, back up it went, and we were right back to where we started.

Thankfully, my then-teen son arrived home about that time. Mark put Boone in the house and got rid of the trespasser. With the evil rodent gone, the Boys could go back outside without being tormented. However, for the rest of the evening, Boone sat under the cottonwood, looking up into its branches. Just in case.

I wish I was as determined about keeping sin out of my life as Boone is about keeping squirrels out of the yard. Sin is serious, and can often lead to destruction. Getting rid of sin can require extreme measures. Jesus said “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away” (Matthew 5:30 NIV). Jesus used hyperbole to emphasize the danger of allowing sin in our lives. We must cut it out of our lives. And we must guard ourselves from new temptations.

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:4 NIV). On the night He was betrayed, Jesus told the disciples to diligently protect themselves from temptation. Sin will torment us if we don’t constantly and carefully guard our hearts and minds.

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About the Author: A former “cultural Christian,” Kathy Howard now has a passion for God’s Word that’s contagious. She encourages women to get into God’s Word for themselves in order to build an unshakable faith that will stand firm through all the trials of life. With more than 30 years of experience, Kathy has taught the Bible in dozens of states, internationally, and in a wide range of venues including multi-church conferences and large online events. She has a Masters in Religious Education and a certificate in Women’s Ministry from the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary.

Kathy is the author of 8 books and Bible studies, including “Lavish Grace” and “30 Days of Hope When Caring for Aging Parents.” She also writes for multiple online magazines and devotional sites. Kathy and her “mostly retired” husband live in the Dallas/Ft Worth area near family. They have three married children, five grandchildren, and three dogs – one of them on purpose. She provides free discipleship resources and blogs regularly at www.KathyHoward.org. Kathy also connects with women at Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Join the conversation: What sin do you need to “dog” today? What temptation requires a little extra guard duty?