It's The Wolf!

 We have all heard the cliché about the wolf in sheep’s clothing. It is usually used to describe a person who shows a good exterior in terms of looks and behavior, but uses that to conceal an opposite and evil side. I thought of that for some reason the other day and wondered where it came from. One source is Matthew 7:15:

Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. (NKJV)

I also found a source in one of Aesop’s Fables. He was a slave and storyteller in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. His story goes like this:

Once there was a wolf who could not get enough to eat because the shepherds were too watchful. One day he found a sheepskin, put it on, slipped into the flock, and ate one of the sheep. He followed them back into the barn in order to eat one later. However, the shepherd decided he wanted lamb stew, so he went to the barn and chose a sheep (actually the wolf) and killed it. The moral of the story is seek to do harm and harm will come to you.

Lastly, of course, is the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. I’m sure you remember how the wolf tried to fool her by dressing up like her grandma. The story ends with the wolf being discovered and killed by the hunter.

In our secular world today we meet many sheep. I don’t mean the shy, withdrawn, quiet introverts, but rather good people and good companies. Unfortunately, a few of them turn out to be wolves. A typical example would be an investment banker who takes his clients’ money and then swindles them.

How about in our personal and spiritual lives? Satan definitely fills the role of the wolf to perfection. He is the Father of Lies, which includes all of the tricks and deceptions. While you aren’t likely to actually meet him face-to-face, he is constantly on the prowl looking for souls to gobble up. His treachery is often subtle, with small temptations. We may reject them at first, but he will keep trying and trying until he finds the right circumstance, the right temptation, to start you down his path and away from God. It doesn’t matter who you are, we have all fallen under that spell and put a foot on that path. So, where do we turn for help? The Good Shepherd!

In John 10:14-15, Jesus said: “I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and they know me. Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for my sheep.” (NIV)

And that is exactly what he did on Good Friday.

So, what are you going to do about the Wolf, Satan, when he comes to call? He won’t be wearing a sheepskin. He may be in a nice suit or she might be in a pretty dress. In either or any case, it is still the Wolf. So, how do you figure it out? By constantly praying for our Lord’s protection, that he makes sure our eyes are open and our hearts and souls are on his path. He has given us the power and strength to recognize the sheepskin; we just have to use it as he taught us. So, are you asking for his vision and protection or are you trying to do it on your own? The second choice leads to the loss of everything, including eternity with God. Ask and you will receive he told us, so why wouldn’t you, why don’t you?