chronic sin and dogs in the woods

I set off for a trail run yesterday after spending hours studying chronic or "besetting sin". I wanted to clear my head so I grabbed by shoes and hit the wools for a run. 50 yards into my run I got it.

I was just starting to work into a stride when a little female dog came running up out of  creek and followed at my heals. For you folks who don't run and those who own dogs that do I'll let you in on a little secret;

I am  praying that I don't trip and break my ankle,

and I am hoping that I kick your dogs mouth shut

The guy and his wife whistled and the dog ran back and past him. I stopped and calmed down a bit and then walked up to him; 

"Excuse me, but please leash your dog. My five year old daughter has been chased so many times

by dogs like yours that she is afraid of them."

"She won't hurt anyone", he replied, 

"My daughter doesn't know that"

"And you don't need to bitten to be scarred" I told him. 

I started back on my run, and as soon as I turned the dog ran at me again. I stopped. He called his dog and put him on the leash and left. 

This is how besetting sin patterns work and how we are to deal with them. 

1) They may look harmless, but they hurt. 

2) They repeat the same pattern, no matter how often we say "my dog never does that"

3) We may not see the wound, but the damage is real.