Read the Charisma Article...
By Dr. David Cannistraci
If you became aware that a wolf was stalking you or
someone you love, what would you do?
Imagine this nightmare scenario: You are washing clothes beside a
rushing river in the unforgiving frontier of the untamed West. Your
only son is playing close by, but when you glance over, you can’t
find him. You call his name, but there is no reply. You rush to your
cabin, anxious to find him, but he’s not there. Desperate, you
sprint outside and search frantically, calling his name. What you
see next brings your whole world crashing down: Your son has been
merciless mauled by a wild wolf. Devastated, you pick up his
lifeless body, and carry it home.
It’s difficult to think about, isn’t it? Yet this nightmare was a
reality for one frontier woman that lived more than a century ago.
The 19th century American abolitionist and preacher Henry Ward
Beecher related this tragic news to a transfixed audience,
remarking, “Oh, how that mother hated wolves!”
THE DANGER OF SPIRITUAL WOLVES
As believers, we face an equally ominous danger every day. On Paul’s
last day in Ephesus, he warned the leaders there to watch for the
wolf: ”Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the
Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God
which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). Paul knew that
after his departure, “savage wolves” would come stalking that would
seek to prey upon the flock (v. 29).
The same kinds of spiritual predators abound in our day, and the
tragic reality is that our friends and family are being targeted.
There are too many lifeless victims lying around for us to be even a
little distracted by our busy lives. The Lord Jesus makes it clear
that we will face the wolf, so we must watch: “I send you out as
sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and
harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
Watching for the wolf requires us to keep a few things in mind as we
probe the wild frontiers in our spiritual journey:
PEOPLE ARE SHEEP!
We must face the truth that people are like sheep. The prophet
declared, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every
one, to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). Peter explained, “You were like
sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and
Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25).
Why are we compared to sheep? A friend of mine who grew up around
sheep explained that our gentleness and inexperience leave us
vulnerable to predators just like sheep. Like sheep, we move in
groups, become anxious in uncertain situations, and are prone to
wandering if we think the grass is greener somewhere else. Though it
may be hard to admit, facing these tendencies in our own nature is
the beginning of reducing our vulnerability to spiritual wolves.
THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEPFOLD
To reduce our risks against spiritual wolves, we need to come into
proper alignment with dedicated shepherds in the context of local
churches. While it’s true that the Lord is our Shepherd, God has
given us pastors to equip us so that we will not be vulnerable to
spiritual the dangers of our times (Ephesians 4:11 and 14).
Pastors have the awesome responsibility to protect and feed the
people who Jesus has added to the church. They care for the sheep
and guide them when they are tempted to go astray. They are a part
of the healing process for the injured, and they establish others to
help with the shepherding as the fold grows. This involves laying
down their lives for the safety of the sheep. Pure motives are
required here, as they are commanded to “Shepherd the flock of
God…serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for
dishonest gain but eagerly...” (1 Peter 5:1-3). For their efforts,
shepherds are promised an eternal reward (v.4).
Spiritual predators target those who stray from the flock. They
sniff out the wounded and the weak. When this happens, a true
shepherd grabs his club or slingshot and springs into action, just
as the shepherd-king David did (1 Samuel 17:36). Jesus viewed this
protective response as the difference between a true shepherd and a
mere hireling (John 10:12).
STAY CONNECTED, BE PROTECTED
We should not forget the importance of our connection with the local
church as a place of divine protection. No church is perfect, but
God uses a healthy church as a spiritual sheepfold. In Bible days, a
sheepfold was a kind of corral surrounded by a good strong wall.
Sheepfolds were usually near a water source, and almost always had a
watchtower for those who were watching for the wolf.
Are you a part of a local church? Do you have a shepherd? Be aware
that disappointments with the inevitable imperfections of a church
can lead us to a cynicism and isolation that attracts the attentions
of the wolf. Don’t stray from your place of protection. Instead,
choose gratitude for God’s awesome provision of safety within a
healthy local church, seek to strengthen it for the sake of others,
and pursue reconciliation if offenses arise.
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Watch
for the Wolf!