Which Wolf Will You Feed? - Back to School Teacher Devotion

It’s time to go back to school. Summer flew by, especially since I’ve been preparing myself for a challenging school year. You see, my lead teacher, who I loved working with, is deserting me. OK, she’s not really deserting me. It just feels that way.

She has a good reason for leaving me but I still feel like throwing a preschool tantrum. She was a joy to work with. It was like working with Mary Poppins and Snow White all wrapped in one sweet package, which allowed me to be the occasional dwarf. When I was Dopey, she laughed at my jokes. When I was Sleepy, she surprised me with my favorite caffeine fix. When I was Grumpy, she modeled love and grace, which turned my Grumpy into Happy. I often joked with her that our teaching partnership was like good cop-bad cop. On the rare occasion she took a day off, our more timid preschoolers would cry and have to be convinced to stay with bad-cop. I understood their pain because I felt like crying myself. However, she taught me well so the class would survive until she returned the following day.

Every school year brings new challenges but when you add a major change, such as change in staffing or classroom, the challenges can seem overwhelming.

Recently, I saw the movie, Tomorrowland, which is all about the power of optimism over pessimism. The main character, Casey, has a conversation with her dad who is lamenting the fact that he will be out of a job as a NASA engineer. Casey, ever the optimist, reminds him of the story of the two wolves, “There are two wolves who are always fighting. One is darkness and despair. The other is light and hope. The question is which wolf wins? The answer: The one you feed.” As I sat and watched this brilliant film about hope conquering negativity, I reflected on this coming school year and I asked myself, “Yolanda, which wolf will you feed?”

It would be easy to throw a tantrum, whine, complain, and feed the dark wolf but here is what God says about feeding the dark wolf:

The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should…. People’s desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds...[they] hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are  envious…No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God’s kingdom. Galatians 5:17-21 (CEV)

When we feed the dark wolf, we allow our flesh to control our thoughts and actions. We are “hard to get along with, angry, selfish,” Our negativity spreads like a virus in your workplace, home, and relationships. That is not what God desires for our lives.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go! Romans 8:9-10 (ESV); Romans 8:12-14 (MSG)

So now that we know the dark wolf has to die, how do we feed the light wolf?

Step 1 - Prayer. Every morning, pray to be filled and renewed by the Holy Spirit.  I've discovered life is impossible without the Spirit of Jesus guiding me. There was a reason why Jesus told the apostles to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit before they went anywhere. He knew that they would need His Spirit residing in them to conquer their fears and to empower them for the work of the ministry. Praying in the Spirit has become an essential part of my morning. When I had postpartum depression, I would wake up overwhelmed and distressed every morning. I would look in the mirror and say, "Snap out of it, Yolanda." No matter how much I tried to snap out of it, I did not get better until I received help. When life gets overwhelming we can't power through it in our own strength. We can't will ourselves to snap out of it. Jesus, our Great Physician, wants to give us His Healing Spirit so that we can conquer the stresses that come with life. That is why daily prayer is essential for conquering the dark wolf. 

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. Ephesians 6:13-18 (MSG)

Step 2 - Read God’s Word daily, preferable first thing in the morning. God’s Word is food for our soul; better than any cup of coffee for waking us up. God’s love will flow through His pages nourishing our hearts. The more we read and learn about God, the more we’ll crave His Presence. God’s Word is addictive. I never would have believed this if I had not experienced the addiction myself. When I open my Bible, I expect God to speak to me. I have my highlighter ready for that scripture verse that God has prepared just for me.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me. Proverbs 8:18 (AMP)

Step 3 - Consistent church attendance. Some believe this step is debatable. I recently got into a friendly debate on this topic and I'll concede that church attendance is not a salvation issue. However, in my own life, it's a survival issue.  Take for example this morning, a little thing turned into a big thing right before church. I was stressed, anxious, and had a very heavy heart.
I prayed in the Spirit. Step 1 - check.
I opened up my Bible and read my daily reading. Step 2 - check.
However, I still felt burdened. Nothing and no one could have prevented me from going to church today. Step 3. 

There is something powerful, healing, renewing, life-changing about being in God's presence surrounded by people praising and worshiping Him with one voice and one heart. I go to church expecting God to speak to me through the message but also through the lyrics of praise music. God never disappoints me and never fails to show up. A new song, Prince of Peace by Hillsong United, was played this morning and here are some of the lyrics that ministered to my soul:

"You're always there

and You hear my prayer

My soul will know 

Your love surrounds me

When my thoughts rage war

When fear comes knocking

There You'll be my guard

When day breeds trouble

There You'll hold my heart

Come storm or battle

God, I know Your Peace will meet me there

Oh, be still my heart

And my soul will ever know

That You are God

And You heard my prayer."

When I heard those lyrics, it was as if God was giving me a hug saying, "Yolanda, I heard your prayers this morning. Don't stress. I will be your guard. Feel My love surround you."

So, other people may debate whether church attendance is necessary, but for me, it is not debatable because the God of Love and Peace meets me there. 

So this school year, instead of lamenting the loss of working with a sweet light wolf, I'm praying that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, I'm the light wolf that brightens up my classroom and workplace.

Let me ask you, "This school year, which wolf will you feed?"

Dear teachers, aides, directors, principals, students, and parents:
May the God of Peace bless you this year.

Love,
Yolanda

Dedicated to my Mary Poppins and Snow White, Heather.