Think on These Things: Positive thoughts in a negative world…
I’m sure you’ve heard the story about an old Cherokee teaching his grandson about life, but it is worth repeating. The old man said, “There is a fight going on inside of me 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 goes on to say, “The other wolf is good. He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight goes on inside of everyone, even you.”
The young boy thought a moment, then asked, “Which wolf will win?”
The grandfather replied, “The one you feed.”
This same battle goes on inside of all of us. Unfortunately, too many people today have chosen to feed the wrong wolf. The result is uncontrolled hatred and anger which makes for difficult relationships.
Uncontrolled hatred can lead to blind rage. Uncontrolled anger can cause us to take our frustrations out on others. Arguing becomes all about wanting others to believe we are right, whether we are or not. Debating is all about winning, not about truth. Finding two people with different points of view who can dialogue or have a give-and-take conversation with respect is rare indeed. Our approach depends on which of our inner wolves we are feeding.
I must admit that I think the world would be a much better place if everyone just agreed with me and did things my way, but they don’t. How does this make me feel? Angry? Bitter? Upset?
God created us to be different. We have different eyes and hair, shapes and sizes, backgrounds and environments, likes and dislikes. It would be reasonable to assume that we have different points of view and opinions. That’s why God deals with us as individuals. However, we must always remember that what God thinks is more important than what we think. So we must constantly feed on His Word to win our inward battle.
Our very being needs to be filled with God’s love. People guided with God’s love speak gently and with kindness. They say, “There but for the grace of God go I,” instead of adopting an “I’m holier than you” attitude.
God’s Spirit is one of cooperation not division. Those filled with God’s Spirit want to be a part of the solution, not just point out the problem. They want to work for the betterment of the whole, not just for what pleases them.
Therefore, we must feed on…
- …compassion and kindness (1 Peter 3:8).
- …humility and patience (Ephesians 4:1-3).
- …peace, encouragement, and edification (Romans 14:19).
- …avoiding strife and respecting others (Philippians 2:1-5).
God’s Word is full of tasty morsels to help win the battle waged inside us for our soul. Our relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is the best soul food we can have to face the challenges of each new day.
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“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” ~Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
