Why does a dog return to his vomit?

[BroChris]

Proverbs 26:11 says, "As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." Why does a dog return to his vomit?

To lick it up, right? But why do they do this? The best answer I can find so far is because it's in their nature. But why is it in their nature? Is it part of their returning to health, by ingesting what their bodies originally rejected, and thus building up immunity? Or does it have something to do with territorial instincts, so that other dogs or predators will not know they are weak when they find that they have vomited? Or something else?

 

[Johnv]

Well, it's a proverb, so we shouldn't take it to be a commentary on dog behavior. But to answer your question, it's a survival instinct. Dogs instinctively eat until they are gorged, even if they are not hungry. They will then retreat to a place and regugitate extra food. They will later return to that place and eat the reurgitated food. They do this because dogs are hunters by nature, and in the wild, it might be days before they come across a new food source. So regurgitating and re-eating is survival for them.

Now, as to fools, the proverb is commenting on the foolishness of doing something that doesn't work, and rather than trying something new, repeating the same action over and over again, hoping for a different result. The person spoken of is no doubt a husband trying to do a home improvement :wavey:

 

[David Michael Harris]

That's not the thing we should focus on. Dogs do disgusting things. The point is as Peter says is that some people who seemingly have come to know Christ and been set free from their fleshly vices, go back to them and get in a greater state.

Good one this.

 

[Martin]

Why do dogs eat their vomit?

I don't know, but it could be because they like the smell of it. Of course, dogs are not the only creatures who eat their vomit.

 

[Scarlett O.]

That's not the only disgusting thing they (and some other creatures) do. Eating feces, rolling in dead and decaying matter, and drinking from the toilet bowl is also part of their nature.

I think God included this proverb in His Word to get our attention.

It's a gross, gross analogy.

Yet it describes us to a tee.

We find our joys in the cheap and the foul and the profane. They're easily accessible, provide instant gratification, and are pleasurable to the flesh.

How many times have people, even and especially Christians, sworn that they would NEVER, NEVER commit a particular act again - and yet they return to it as dog to vomit.

How many times have people said "never again" to pornography, addictions such as alcohol or food or drugs, adultery, profanity, cheating on their taxes, shop lifting, gossiping, and a host of other "cheap" joys?

Our joy should be found in the LORD. Our cravings should be for loftier things and not the cheap and easy.

But we are just like that proverbial dog and his proverbial vomit and only God can cleanse us. No one is immune to self-serving narcissism. (redundant?)

We need to "delight ourselves in the LORD and allow Him to give us the desires of our hearts" - hearts that are changed by Jesus Christ.

When we delight in Him, crave Him, seek Him with our whole hearts, and allow His glory and salvation to pacify us, then our desires change - and God meets them.

 

[kyredneck]

..... The person spoken of is no doubt a husband trying to do a home improvement :wavey:

..:laugh::thumbs: ..... or someone who keeps voting Democrat again and again and again.........

 

[David Michael Harris]

That's not the only disgusting thing they (and some other creatures) do. Eating feces, rolling in dead and decaying matter, and drinking from the toilet bowl is also part of their nature.

I think God included this proverb in His Word to get our attention.

It's a gross, gross analogy.

Yet it describes us to a tee.

We find our joys in the cheap and the foul and the profane. They're easily accessible, provide instant gratification, and are pleasurable to the flesh.

How many times have people, even and especially Christians, sworn that they would NEVER, NEVER commit a particular act again - and yet they return to it as dog to vomit.

How many times have people said "never again" to pornography, addictions such as alcohol or food or drugs, adultery, profanity, cheating on their taxes, shop lifting, gossiping, and a host of other "cheap" joys?

Our joy should be found in the LORD. Our cravings should be for loftier things and not the cheap and easy.

But we are just like that proverbial dog and his proverbial vomit and only God can cleanse us. No one is immune to self-serving narcissism. (redundant?)

We need to "delight ourselves in the LORD and allow Him to give us the desires of our hearts" - hearts that are changed by Jesus Christ.

When we delight in Him, crave Him, seek Him with our whole hearts, and allow His glory and salvation to pacify us, then our desires change - and God meets them.

What about Peters usage of it though? What was he talking about with regards to Christianity?

 

[rbell]

Proverbs 26:11 says, "As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." Why does a dog return to his vomit?

• Maybe it's to say, "Hey...look what I did!"
• Maybe it's to say, "Wow...I didn't know I had it in me."
• Maybe he's just assuring himself he has the guts to be a good dog.
• Maybe he's hard of hearing. His owner may have just said, "Spot, if you're going to bark, then bark somewhere else." He heard "barf" instead.
• Maybe his owner's name is Chuck. He hears someone say, "What's up, Chuck?" He misunderstands, and goes back, thinking, "That's upchuck."

On a more serious note, I think Scarlett nailed it. Imagine that...a cat person, getting a dog post right.

 

[Gwyneth]

That's not the only disgusting thing they (and some other creatures) do. Eating feces, rolling in dead and decaying matter, and drinking from the toilet bowl is also part of their nature.

I think God included this proverb in His Word to get our attention.

It's a gross, gross analogy.

Yet it describes us to a tee.

We find our joys in the cheap and the foul and the profane. They're easily accessible, provide instant gratification, and are pleasurable to the flesh.

How many times have people, even and especially Christians, sworn that they would NEVER, NEVER commit a particular act again - and yet they return to it as dog to vomit.

How many times have people said "never again" to pornography, addictions such as alcohol or food or drugs, adultery, profanity, cheating on their taxes, shop lifting, gossiping, and a host of other "cheap" joys?

Our joy should be found in the LORD. Our cravings should be for loftier things and not the cheap and easy.

But we are just like that proverbial dog and his proverbial vomit and only God can cleanse us. No one is immune to self-serving narcissism. (redundant?)

We need to "delight ourselves in the LORD and allow Him to give us the desires of our hearts" - hearts that are changed by Jesus Christ.

When we delight in Him, crave Him, seek Him with our whole hearts, and allow His glory and salvation to pacify us, then our desires change - and God meets them.

You are right sister Scarlett.

 

[Jon-Marc]

Proverbs 26:11 says, "As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." Why does a dog return to his vomit?

Because no one else wants it. :laugh: Dogs will eat anything that doesn't eat them first. It's just their nature--as it's the nature of humans to desire sin, even though we know we will regret it.

 

[Scarlett O.]

On a more serious note, I think Scarlett nailed it. Imagine that...a cat person, getting a dog post right.

Well, there is more to us than our cuteness, you know.

 

[rbell]

Well, there is more to us than our cuteness, you know.

*snort*

That's what the guy at the chinese restaurant said about cats as well.