Friday was such a nice day that I decided to do some work in my backyard. Job number one was to fill in some holes that my Keeshond, Buster, had dug over the window. I went to Walmart and got 3 big bags of dirt and some grass seed. I came home, put Buster in the house, and proceeded with the repairs. I filled about 7 or 8 big holes and spread the grass seed.

 My next door neighbor saw what I was doing and asked, “You don’t really think that’s going to do any good, do you?”

 I muttered something about “living in hope” and finished the job.

 Sure enough, within two hours after I had put him back out in the yard, Buster had re-dug every single hole. I had fanciful thoughts of re-filling them and telling him that if he ever dug another hole, I was going to put him in it. I knew, of course, that he wouldn’t understand, and that I would be bluffing. Even if I weren’t, he would probably still dig. Such is the force of habit. 

Of course, I already knew that. I remember being a dinner guest in a church member’s home years ago. At the end of the meal, I arose and, without thinking, put a dollar bill on the table. The lady of the house exclaimed, “What are you doing?” 

What indeed? I was so used to eating in restaurants and leaving a tip at the end of the meal I was just following the engrained habit.  

Habits are powerful things, both the positive ones and the negative ones. Scripture says, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.     (Hebrews 10:19-25)