“One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, “My son, the battle is between two “wolves” inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Author unknown

This story of the Cherokee Indian resonates with many of us. God gave us the gift of free will, so that we could make our own choices. Galatians 6:7-8 tells us “For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Like the parable of the wolves, God gave us the free will to choose which wolf we would feed. Ultimately, he wants us to feed the lighter wolf—the wolf of joy, the wolf of peace, of love, of kindness, of truth and compassion and of faith. Feeding this wolf requires patience.

It requires self reflection. It is a practice of which we must constantly be mindful. Feeding the darker wolf who lives within us is far easier. This darker wolf represents sin. The wolf of anger, of ego, of self-pity and arrogance, of resentment and false pride—that proverbial wolf is far easier for many of us to feed. The key is being mindful of the balance between the two and making a conscious CHOICE each day to feed the right one. Which wolf will you feed today? Be Well.