There is an old fable about two wolves that live inside you. One is a protector, ready to defend what is right and those who can’t defend themselves. The other is a taker, seeking to grasp what it desires at all costs and to take advantage of the weak. These two wolves battle within us. The story goes that the wolf you feed the most is the one that will win.
We read in Ephesians 4:22-24: “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” This practical instruction urges believers to actively discard corrupt old ways (like a dirty garment) and clothe themselves with the new self, reflecting God’s character. Renewal of the mind is central to this transformation.
You may say I thought that when I came to Christ, the old self was dead. Yes and no. Yes, we became new people in Christ, but the old self is still at play this side of paradise. How do we keep it from rearing its ugly head? We starve it. We feed our spirit with God’s Word, godly thoughts, and Christ-honoring actions. We practice godly disciplines, keeping in step with the Spirit.
We have to get rid of stinking thinking and “set our minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2). Our life is often only as good as our mindset. A mindset focused on the negative wolf and his desires will never allow us to flourish in Christ. People can have the same experiences, good and bad, and yet draw very different outlooks from them. They can face the same problem, and one crumbles under the situation while another who trusts in Christ, through feeding the right wolf and starving the wrong one, grows. The difference is not luck but perspective and focus. Our mind is our God-given pasture, where we choose which wolves feed. It filters everything: what we see, feel, and believe. Feed the wrong wolf, and negativity erupts with a defeated mindset. Walk in the new life you have in Christ, training it through spiritual disciplines, and be flooded with God’s wisdom, peace, and power, with a faith mindset. When we allow the Spirit to change our mindset, our lives are changed.
We are not always in control of what life throws at us, but we can control how we choose to respond. It’s better to prepare before we face any particular challenge. However, it’s not too late to make a midcourse correction when we’re in the midst of the storm. God does all the heavy lifting, transforming us. But we do have our own donkey work of feeding the right wolf by immersing ourselves in Scripture. We allow it to master us as we seek to master it. We learn through daily surrender what it means to walk in step with the Spirit. This is not merely walking beside; it’s walking with in an ever-growing relationship. We live in Christian community where we can see examples of faithful living, be encouraged and confronted, and grow together in the things of Christ.
So which wolf are you feeding? Is it the old self or the new you in Christ? Whichever one you feed will take the place of prominence in your life. God has so much in store for those who have placed their faith in Him, those who have entered into a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This relationship has been made available to all, yet it must be received. The life of flourishing in Christ is not automatic once we receive Christ as Savior and Lord. It is a daily choice of what to feed, how to live, and whom to follow. Choose Christ and His way, and experience the life of flourishing in Him. It’s the life for which you have been created. Every day, you stand at the edge of the same clearing, watching two wolves circle. And every day, the choice of who eats is yours. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!