Puppies and Helping People Stop Eating of the Law and Start Eating of Grace

I have a puppy who likes to eat things that are not good for her.

When I take her for a walk, I have to keep my eyes open to what she may pick up and start chewing on and eating.

Whenever I try to take away what she is eating, she latches on to it more tightly, determined for me to not take it from her.

Several weeks ago, I learned a new way to get her to willingly drop what she is eating...the secret?

Giving her a treat.

When I give her a treat, she willingly drops what she is eating because she has come to realize the treats are far more better than what she was previously chewing on.

This is much like trying to get others to stop eating on a law-based way of relating to God.

When we try to take away their legalistic belief system through criticism and arguing, they latch on to it more tightly.

However, if we can lovingly, gently, and patiently give them the "treat of grace," they will be more likely to willingly lay down their law-based way of relating to God and begin "eating of the new covenant of grace."

Just before going to the cross, Jesus introduced the new covenant/testament to his disciples, encouraging them to eat and drink of it.

So many people are not eating the new covenant of grace, rather they are eating a form of the old covenant of law.

How do we get them to stop eating the law?

By giving them the new covenant of grace.

One of the ways we can do this is by giving them a grace treat: a book to read on grace, a video to watch, or a podcast to listen to.

In a perfect world, they would read the book, watch a video, or listen to the podcast and immediately drop the law and eat of grace...

...some do that, others do not.

However, the chances of others coming to eat of the new covenant of grace are much higher if we refuse to attack their beliefs but rather give them a "grace treat."