Do you remember playing a game as a child, where a person is "on", and the walk around with all the kids following them. The kids chant, "Wolfie, Wolfie what's the time?" and the the person who is "on" ie the "wolf" answers with a random time. At some point the game turns, the answer from the wolf isn't the time but instead the wolf shouts, "dinner/supper time." at this point the wolf turns around and chases the children trying to catch them.
I was reminded of this game when i was reading my bible this morning. I was reading in Matthew 7:15-20. [this train of thought was already on my mind due to a circumstance i had just experienced.] The word says this...
15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
The children when playing the game, know at some point the wolf is going to turn around and try snatch them. I think many of us see wolves on the horizon, in our lives/work place/churches etc but continue on like the children, playing alongside it. I think there are many reason's we do this. We don't want to judge. Jesus taught us to love. We can't exclude anyone. We hate confrontation. Whatever it is. We let the wolf [in sheep's clothing] in among us. Just as the children we are then surprised when it turns around and tries to catch us.
We have discernment, it is given to us for a reason. I think often we label the "attack" as persecution to justify the fact that we let it in and left it there. Sometimes what we call persecution is our own doing because we were playing with the wolf. Even if you do struggle with discernment, in this scripture Jesus made it clear. It was easy to see what they are because you will know a tree by its fruit.
ouch.
Truthfully the fruit that got shaken off my tree while driving to work this morning, shows me i might need a little bit of time on my knees with my Father, dealing with my anger. . . no one is perfect. We are all in the process of being sanctified. So this is not a "throw everyone out the door, cause everyone has at least one bad fruit evident." But there are certain unrepentant things that should be red flags. We are not judging the person, but if they are continuously bearing the same fruit, then you should take note, because there will be wolves posing as sheep amidst us. Jesus has warned us.
They are strategically placed, almost like a trap. earlier on in Matthew 7 it talks about not casting your pearls before swines, an interestingly enough then says, " they will trample the pearls, and then turn and attack you." Often with wolves in sheep's clothing [because maybe calling them a pig is too harsh] we get nipped on the hand, and think, "shame, i am sure it didn't mean to. Maybe if i just explain repentance/generational curses again, the wolf will see the light and change." or "maybe if i keep moving in the opposite spirit, they will be changed by my love." or whatever we use to justify. It is clear they will turn around, trampling your pearls into the ground and attack you.
We need supernatural wisdom and discernment in the day and age we live in. Jesus himself taught on this. i would even add another category here. "Beware the injured wolf". Just because it is injured doesn't mean it stopped being a wolf. If you take a wolf in to try and heal it, don't be surprised if it bites you. I am talking from many bite wounds, from ignoring God's prompting saying, "Beware".
I am not talking about judging in our own opinion or from our own experience/prejudices. We have the word of God and the Spirit of God. All I am saying is exercise a little caution. if alarm bells are going off, stop and ask why. If we ask and are seeking Him, He is faithful to expose traps set out in our paths. But if we don't see it coming and they show their true colours and do turn around to attack, see it for what it is, shake it off. forgive and then MOVE ON...don't go back for seconds.
But also remember there are more sheep than wolves in the sheepfold. Don't go assuming everyone besides yourself is the wolf. Be gracious with the sheep, we are all flawed and in the process of redemption and restoration. . . but when the wolf does come, don't let him in your life.
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