Which Dog Will We Feed?

Family,

First of all, i have already posted this blog once, only to find that it didn't work. Somehow i over edited it, or something. Anyway. I will try again.

This is a unique week. Not only have i posted the normal blog, i have been inspired, by a book, to post another one. I felt it was time to share some of my thoughts and feelings about this book, which has illuminated truths in ways i never even thought possible. I picked up the book, "Fieldy," thinking it was the story about ex KORN guitarist Brian Welch, who had converted to Christianity and left the band. I was wrong.

It was a different member of KORN. This was the story of the bassists journey into music, rock and roll fame, and a life of drugs, sex, and alcohol abuse. Most biographies of this sort stand as salacious bragging memoirs for ego maniacs, but this was different. Fieldy wrote about life as a rock star, and he shares some difficult moments, but woven into the stories of the abuse, are threads about the trappings of this life. In fact, throughout the entire biography, Fieldy makes it clear that this life is not life at all, it is, in truth, a road to death, darkness, and destruction.

That's why i felt called to post another blog. Throughout the book, Fieldy refers to a story he heard as a kid. It was a conversation between a grandfather and grandson about the duality of life and people. The grandfather, (In Bowen's translation), told the grandson that every person has two dogs that he/she will serve. A good dog, which leads to a full life, peace, success, healthy relationships, and overall a good life. A bad dog, which is the opposite in all areas.

The grandson, wanting a life that is good, full, and successful asks, "Which dog will we serve?" The grandfather answers, without missing a beat, "Which ever dog you feed."

This opened my eyes. I have, in my past fed that bad dog, all too much. Even now, when i pray for God to take away my anger, temper, judgmental attitude, or so many more sins i carry, i realize how much i still feed that dog. If i want to be free, i have to feed the good dog. I have to do, as Fieldy did, pray, study God's word, forgive, ask for forgiveness, do good, be good, love, and just live truly, as Jesus lived. If i could do this, daily, i would feed that good dog and feel the joy of being closer to God.

And it is something that has begun to happen. I have begun to realize that i must feed the good dog, daily, hourly, even by the second, if i am to be who I want to be and who God wants me to be. All of us must feed this dog every second of our lives, because the bad dog waits to prounce on us with zeal and destruction in mind. It brings to mind the teaching Jesus gave about the man who was freed from demons, but that man didn't fill the new emptiness with anything, so the demons returned, in force, and destroyed the man.

We must fill that void with Godly things, and when we do, we become that good disciple who honors Jesus every day of our lives. I had to read about a tattooed bass player's life in order to fully get it. I hope my learning can become a teaching tool so others can begin feeding the good dog. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry