Slobbering for a blessing …

During the 1890’s, Russian physiologist Isaac Pavlov noticed that his dogs would salivate when he entered a room.

Through study and experimentation, Pavlov realized that his dogs attributed to his presence the act of being fed. “Hard-wired” into these animals was a natural response to salivate at the thought of receiving food. Thus, when Pavlov entered a room, the dogs would begin to salivate, even if he wasn’t bringing them food.

This was the beginning of Pavlov developing the theory of “classical conditioning,” in this first case, being the response of his dogs when he walked into a room. In 2023, several preachers are applying classical conditioning without even knowing it, teaching their followers to slobber for a blessing.

Well, if not literally, definitely figuratively.

We have ingrained in the minds of many within the church that when we do something “good,” then God will immediately respond with a blessing. Just as the dogs salivated for food when Pavlov entered a room, Christians today slobber for a blessing if they show the least kindness to someone else.

That might be what’s taught today, but it certainly wasn’t what Jesus taught. Take a close look at what he said to His disciples …

“When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty,'” Luke 17:7-10.

But doesn’t the Bible talk about rewards for the believer?

Yes, but often it’s about rewards being stored up in heaven for us. The Bible does NOT teach a “Pavlovian faith” where we do good, get a blessing; do good, get a blessing; do good, get a blessing. But that’s what some teach, and it’s left many a professing Christian slobbering for a blessing.

And disappointed.

Disappointed because truly doing “good” costs us; really following in the footsteps of Jesus has steep demands, as explained with great simplicity by Jesus …

“Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me,'” Luke 9:23.

We have become conditioned to think of the Christian life as something easy — do a little good, get a blessing. The reality is that Jesus calls us to die to self, daily take up our own crosses, and follow Him with an attitude of, “We are unworthy servants simply doing our duty.”

We miss the obvious fact that just being able to do that is a blessing!

By conditioning believers to expect a blessing immediately following any act of kindness, but then experiencing the reality that often we’re not soon thereafter showered with praise and blessings for doing our duty, we then become weary of doing good. The Apostle Paul attempts to redirect us from this kind of thought and behavior …

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone — especially to those in the family of faith,” Galatians 6:9-10.

Sometimes there are rewards immediately after “doing good,” but often not. That’s because it was never God’s intent to teach us to slobber for a blessing; instead, He wants us to think, and to feel, and especially to LOVE like Jesus, doing what is good and right, gracious and loving, because through Christ in us we are becoming like Him and not just slobbering for a blessing. We should desire to think, feel, and act like Jesus whether or not a reward is immediately attached to it.

By becoming more like Christ, we will not get weary of doing what is good, and right, and just.

Are you slobbering for a blessing? Has a lack of immediate reward caused you to grow weary in doing good? Or do you see yourself as an unworthy servant who has the “blessing” of doing good, whether or not a reward is immediately attached?

Scotty