Proverbs 26:11 ~ A Dog Returns to His Vomit

“Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.”
(Proverbs 26:11 ESV)

Sometimes Scripture is written as a parable or proverb that needs some unpacking or research to fully grasp the richness and meaning of it’s message. Then there are graphic verses such as this one that are plainly stated so that any fool like me can understand it.

There are times God speaks to us in a whisper, and then there are times when he smacks us in the face with a message so clear, it’s impossible for us to miss it.

I have a thorn in my side that I struggle with, and recently I had occasion to confess that sin to the LORD. Part of my prayer included praying through Proverbs 26:11. No more than 10 minutes later, I let our dogs outside into the yard to do their morning business. As I was standing there waiting, one of the dogs vomited on the grass, walked away, and then returned a moment later to his vomit.

I’m the first to admit that I’m not always the sharpest crayon in the box when it comes to reading retention, and I don’t always learn my life lessons on the first pass. Thankfully, my Father in Heaven knows this about me as well. So then, it came as no surprise that He gave me this visual reminder of His Word, just in case reading it didn’t quite present a clear enough image for me.

My pastor spoke recently of the parable of the sower and the seeds (Luke 8:4-8). A few days later I was in my garden pulling weeds and experienced how the weeds growing in the areas that had weed cloth were very easy to pull because their roots were shallow. However, the weeds growing in deep soil were much harder to uproot.

I love that my God knows me and is ready to meet me where I am. He knows how best to communicate with me, and I frequently get reminders of His Glory through how He reveals Himself to me in nature.

I’m praying that the next time I am tempted to judge a brother for his sin that God doesn’t find the need to illustrate Matthew 7:4-5 to me. That’s gonna hurt.