Sheep or Wolf?

The old phrase of "a wolf in sheep's clothing" is used to describe someone who attempts to appear as something other than what they really are. It is usually with a malicious or selfish intent and can be difficult to spot. This type of person can be destructive and extremely harmful to other people.

I heard a car ad today that used the phrase "a sheep in wolves' clothing." The thought occurred to me while driving that this can be used to describe the church far too often. We speak about the power of God to do great things, we sing loudly in worship services, nod at the right places in the sermons and even volunteer down the hall in ministry. The problem is that we then step out into the reality of the world and instead of moving forward with the strength of the Holy Spirit, we meekly shuffle our way through each day with a spirit of timidity. Instead of forcefully advancing the Kingdom we hang back on the fringe while carrying the banner of likability and a desire to not offend. We wear the name "Christian" and "Church", but act like we are much less than that-not something that is dangerous, but something that can be ignored because it lacks power.

The cause of Christ is calling for warriors filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to do supernatural things that can only be credited to Him. When we accept this challenge and gain a glimpse of what God can do through His people we can stop pretending to be something we aren't and become strong, bold Kingdom workers and witnesses to God's ability to change lives.