Chaehun Chung

In 2004, I was doing a bicycle trip in Northern Spain alone. Tent, sleeping bag, mattress, and other ‘survival kits’ were on the back seat. 

It was a remote area with a stiff hill. I got off and pushed the bicycle. After several hours, now the place was dark. I found one little town, less than ten houses. I put my tent in an open field. 

The following day at 5:00 AM, I got out of the tent. I was surprised because a big dog was sitting in front of my tent. 

I folded my tent and left the town. But the dog followed me. I looked at the dog and said, “You welcome me because I am a foreigner.” We took a photo together. Then I said goodbye to him. He followed, however. “Go back to your house.” No help. So, we became a friend. I named him Muchos. 

We walked uphill together. Now an hour had been gone. I was tired, and Muchos looked tired, too. Then I saw his strange act. Muchos put his one hind leg up and peed on the street. Time to time, place to place. 

Another hour had passed. I was hungry and ate the chocolate bar. Muchos fixed his eyes upon me. I gave him a chocolate bar, and he loved it (I did not know then that it is not good to give a chocolate bar to dogs). 

After tasting the chocolate bar, Muchos quitted peeing on the corner. Never he did it again. 

… Time passed …

One day, I looked back and thought of Muchos: Why did he follow me? Why did he pee on the road? And why did he stop peeing after eating the chocolate bar? 

Here is my interpretation: 

Muchos was born in a remote area, but he had a dream. One day, he saw one man with a bicycle; he thought, “If I follow him, I might find a meaning of life.” So he followed me. But while we were walking uphill, he peed time to time. It was a weary experience for Muchos. Now he rethinks, “This is not what I imagined or wanted!” So, he peed and had two minds: whether to keep going forward or go back to where he was. After eating the chocolate bar, however, Muchos never peed again. Why? Because it was too good to be true! 

Then I asked myself: “What is your chocolate bar?”

Jesus is my chocolate bar, as the Scripture wrote, “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psa. 34:8, NLT). After tasting the goodness of our Lord, we are wholly different people, just like Muchos was transformed. Some people choose their chocolate bar with money, fame, or power, but we know that the ultimate chocolate bar is our Lord Jesus Christ. 

May the goodness of the Lord be with you!