Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Luke 10:3

I have often felt like a lamb among wolves. Up until the day she died, my mother used to chide me about being what she called a “Pollyanna.” I knew she meant that I was gullible, perhaps even silly. I could never make her understand that though perhaps I was gullible, I wasn’t silly.

I have no desire to be a wolf.

All around me I see both types of people. We call the wolves bullies, and the lambs victims. But that doesn’t mean wolves can’t change their ways, or that lambs can’t have an inner strength that isn’t always visible to the world. They are not true victims.

Lambs are born innocents, that’s what they are. Like me, they cringe at the foul words, gestures, and ideas that have spawned all around us. With me, it is almost a physical pain. So I try to avoid those situations where I know I will be bombarded. It’s my choice.

Wolves will be wolves unless and until they decide to stop. Not being one, I can’t speak to their inner nature. But they too have choices.

So how do we lambs lives our lives? Do we pretend we don’t hear and see what is wounding to us? Do we retreat into our safe little worlds, shut the door and never come out?

I don’t think so. I think we must go forth, sent as Christ sent us, as lambs among the wolves. We must show the way to God, to Jesus, by our own actions and words, by our own inner strength and the strength of those other lambs around us. I know it’s hard not to become like the wolves themselves, bombarded as we are with hurtful words and actions. But we must do as we are commanded or those wolves will never, ever change their ways.

Isn’t it strange to think that lambs, meek, gentle little creatures as they are, can show aggressive, mean wolves the way to God? But it is so. Let us go forth, fellow lambs, and make our corner of the world a better place by our example.

Dear Lord God, we gentle people come to you for guidance and support. Your Word is our guide. May we surround ourselves with other lambs and rest safely in the fold together. Keep the wolves from harming us, and reveal to them the error of their ways. In Jesus name we pray.