By Ken Rolheiser
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An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. 鈥淎 fight is going on inside Me. It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil鈥� the other is good.鈥�
鈥淲hich wolf will win?鈥� the grandson asks.
The old Cherokee simply replies, 鈥淭he one I feed.鈥�
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Which wolf do we feed? Too often it depends upon the pressures we find ourselves in and the circumstances. Theologians tell us that even when we sin, we may be innocent through ignorance. Do we really know how much God loves us? If we did, there would be easy choices.
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Jesus said, 鈥淭he Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life鈥� (John 6:63). Just before he said this, Jesus had said to the people: 鈥淰ery truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.鈥�
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Many turned and left and stopped following Jesus. They did not understand. I hope that we stand with Peter who said, 鈥淭o whom should we turn? You have the words of eternal life.鈥�
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For a better understanding we need to turn to the very beginning: 鈥淚n the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God鈥� (John 1:1). Jesus is the Word that became flesh. God became Man.
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Even before the events of Holy Thursday the Word, the Bible, brought life. God鈥檚 words are Spirit. They charge the air, they move us, in our hearts and minds. If we let them, they carry us on our way towards the . There is life in them.
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Contrast that with our words! Sometimes our words bring confusion, anger and the spirit of death. Fortunately for us there is hope. Jesus said if we eat his flesh and drink his blood we will have life in us 鈥� his life.
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His words and his very life poured out for us are Spirit and they become our life when we receive them. The life of Christ in us sustains us through all of life鈥檚 trials. We are precious before God.
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Let me illustrate with a little story: A speaker held up a $20 bill to a crowd: 鈥淲ho would like this $20 bill?鈥� All hands went up. 鈥淚 am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.鈥� He crumpled the bill up.
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He then asked, 鈥淲ho still wants it?鈥� All hands rose. 鈥淲ell,鈥� he replied, 鈥淲hat if I do this?鈥� He dropped the bill on the ground and stomped on it with his shoes. Picking up the dirty bill he asked, 鈥淣ow who still wants it?鈥� All the hands went up.
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鈥淢y friends, I have just illustrated a very important lesson. No matter what I did to the money鈥� it did not decrease in value. Many times in our lives, life crumples us and grinds us into the dirt. We make bad choices and we feel worthless鈥� but we will never lose our value. Don鈥檛 ever forget it!鈥� (from Motivational Stories)
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鈥淔or you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body鈥�().
