The Psalmist asked a good question—“How can a young man keep his way pure?” (Psalm 119:9). It’s a question I’ve been pondering quite a bit these days—especially in regard to men who struggle with pornography. I believe pornography is an issue that every man will deal with in one way or another. We’re living in a society where it is pushed at us from every direction. Many Christian guys are caught in a cycle of defeat. In times of isolation, or if they are physically and mentally worn down, or if they have experienced some let down in life, porn offers a quick and easy feel good experience. So they fall and then their conscience starts to beat up on them. They finally confess, receive prayer, accept God’s grace and are just fine—until next time. Too often, the man just gives up and accepts porn and impurity as a part of his life.
I was talking to my friend, Jim Holmes, about this situation the other day and I asked “how can a young man keep his way pure?” Jim’s response sounded odd at first. He said, “You have to feed the good dog.” Of course he’s talking about the “good dog” of the spirit vs. the “bad dog” of the flesh. As we explored what it means to “feed” these inner dogs we concluded that the bad dog is pretty low maintenance. He’ll thrive on whatever trash you toss out. The good dog, on the other hand, is a pure bred and has a special diet. He feeds and thrives on the word of God.
That is the answer the psalmist gives to his question—“How can a young man keep his way pure?—By living according to your word.”
Are you feeding the good dog or the bad dog? We have a tendency to feed both dogs. We toss little scraps of God’s word to the good dog, and truckloads of garbage to the bad dog. You can see how we get into trouble.
This is not just about controlling lust; the Lord wants us to gain victory over every contaminating influence. To do so we must become committed to starving the bad dog and feeding, nurturing and training the good dog. Let’s get crazy about the word and works of God.
Feed the good dog.
Brian
