Which Wolf Will You Feed?

A Cherokee Legend:

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life.

“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.  One is evil — he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”  He continued, “The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.  The same fight is going on inside you — and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Remember those New Year resolutions? Last January, across the country gym memberships increased, fresh fruit and veggies flew off the shelf.  Many vowed that they would greet 2014 with a healthier mind, body and/or spirit than they started off with the previous year.

Then came February.

A few actually made some positive changes; However the majority of us stopped going to the gym by February.  We eventually threw all that fresh food in the garbage because it started to rot or attract fruit flies. If that describes you, don't worry.  It does not mean that you are unnaturally weak.  It does not mean that you are doomed to failure.  It just means that you are human.

It's easy to start something new.  You begin with a full belly of chocolate-covered enthusiasm with hope chasers.  Soon, however, as the “newness” begins to fade  (and the grind begins) that once, full belly starts to rumble.  We find that we devoured all of our dessert -- that yummy enthusiasm that tasted so good. Now we have the choice to eat dinner.  Though dinner is full of the vitamins and nutrients we need to make us feel good in earnest,  it doesn’t give us that immediate sugar high.  It may be tasty, but no matter how it’s prepared,  it’s still dinner.  Not candy.

 

Paul said, “when I was a child I spoke as a child, I talked like a child, I understood as a child.  But when I became a man I put away childish things.”  Children will eat a diet of dessert and live a life of sugar highs and lows if not taught differently.  Adults know better.

Whenever  we begin something that requires change, conventional wisdom says that most of us will fail.   Whether that change involves stopping an unhealthy habit such as smoking, worrying, or over-eating, or beginning a healthy one such as exercise, daily bible reading or eating more veggies, we seem to be  divided between what is good and what is comfortable.  Two hungry wolves with voracious appetites.  For each of us those wolves may take different shapes, but they are present in all of us — flesh vs. spirit. One wants temporary highs that feel good but have no sustenance, the other is hungry for real food that will fill his belly and his spirit.

Nothing  precious comes easy.  You have to trudge through a lot of dark mines and beat a lot of rocks before you find the smallest diamond.  Likewise, you have to trudge through a lot of barriers to change old habits. That tired wolf, that busy-with-life wolf, that “I’m uncomfortable” wolf will howl with hunger for your thoughts and your actions.  But there is a wolf that is equally hungry.  The one who is hungry for victory.

Which one will you feed?

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.