Several years ago, while walking around the French Quarter, I came across a bar entitled Sinner and Saint. A perfect name for a bar. A perfect name for a church. Often in our world, we live by this binary, in and out or up and down dichotomy. You are either this or that, and couldn’t possibly be both. Often this limited view of the world, or those living in it, keeps us from embracing the beautiful tapestry of God’s diverse creation. It divides us into tribal groups, which can make us feel accepted, wanted, and loved, and, at the same time, elusive to the other who does not fit into our tribe or group. You are either a saint or a sinner, right?
If we are honest with ourselves, we are both. Peter is the perfect biblical example. Take for example Matthew 16. In verse 18, Jesus claims that Peter will be the rock on which he will build his Church. Peter will serve as the foundation, the model for what would become. High praise and honor, which would lead us to see only protentional and possibility for this disciple. Yet, just five verses later, Jesus turns to Peter and says, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Such extremes found in one person. Such extremes found within us all.
There is an old Cherokee story of a grandfather teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.” The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The grandfather simply replied, “The one you feed.”
As we acknowledge the two wolves wrestling inside us, may we strive to lean toward joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. May we claim and feed the wolf that is good. Desmond Tutu once said, “We are made for goodness. We are made for love. We are made for friendliness. We are made for togetherness. We are made for all of the beautiful things that you and I know. We are made to tell the world that there are no outsiders. All are welcome: black, white, red, yellow, rich, poor, educated, not educated, male, female, gay, straight, all, all, all. We all belong to this family, this human family, God’s family.”
Feed the Good. Be the Good.
Youth of Geist Christian Church 