The other day I found myself being once again disgusted with human nature. Of course, I’m not human, so this criticism doesn’t apply to me…

My God must get mighty tired of hearing me ask such questions as these:

“Lord, why did you make people? How can you love humanity when we seem to be so unlovable?”

I couldn’t say if what popped into my mind was an answer, or if it was simply my own mind answering itself, but this was the essence of it (no, I’m not going to say “The Lord said…”):

“When God made man, the “slate” was clean in terms of human character and personality.”

God made man in perfection, but the gift of free will, given to every man and woman, came into play. Certain character traits common to man were undoubtedly written into that first DNA, but for the most part, human character was open to influences, and ready to be filled.

In our time, our own “slates” are written on by our experience and our view of the world around us. What we become is largely dependent on how our parents and our surroundings affect us, what we like and open up our minds to, and what we allow to influence us.

Human nature seems at times to be rotten and disgusting because of the stuff we allow into our hearts. Sin shapes us negatively, but God shapes us positively. That seems very simplistic, but it’s a primary message in the Bible. Just as “you are what you eat” in terms of food and your body, so you are what you consume in terms of spiritual and moral influences.

So what do we feed ourselves with, and what are we personally open to? Are we willing to be shaped and changed by Jesus Christ? That’s a vitally important question. Among the many claims of Jesus is this one:

“I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35).

Our indispensable spiritual food for life and for character, our essential and invaluable influence, is Jesus.

• DEVOTION