Once upon a time there was a great, big wolf, and he hadn’t eaten in days. His last meal was only a couple of small mice… not even enough for an appetizer. You can be sure he was on the lookout for some serious grub!

Suddenly, a flock of sheep caught his eye. As he looked at them grazing peacefully in the distance, immediately his mouth started watering uncontrollably, and his stomach growled expectantly at the thought of fresh mutton. But he was so famished and weak from hunger, he didn’t have the strength to chase down even one small lamb. What was he to do?

Then it came to him. “I know how I can get a plump, juicy sheep! I’ll dress up like one! I’ll put on a sheep skin and calmly walk in among them. They won’t even know! Then I can take my time to pick out the best!”

So the big, hungry wolf put his plan into action. He (conveniently) found a sheep skin in reasonably good shape, and spent a few awkward moments putting it on and adjusting the fit. Then he walked nonchalantly down to the flock. As he approached, none of the sheep raised the alarm. Some even greeted him and welcomed him as a new member of the flock.

It wasn’t long before he had found his sheep – a nice, fat one, more trusting than the rest. (This sheep happened to be one of the first to greet him when he arrived.) In less than a minute, he turned on the helpless creature and started devouring greedily.

At the sight of the behavior of the strange “sheep,” some of the flock were greatly alarmed and tried to warn the others, but those others just said, “He’s new to our flock. He doesn’t know our ways. Give him time to change. You’ll see.”

But the wolf, encouraged and strengthened by his success, and relishing the taste of fresh blood, began attacking other sheep at random, causing them to run this way and that.

Meanwhile, some other wolves happened to be walking by. Seeing what appeared to be one sheep attacking other sheep, one of them said, “I hate sheep! Look how violent they are, attacking each other! Peaceful creatures? Bah! What hypocrites!” So they also ran down into the flock and started harassing the sheep as well.

And so the world looks on Christians today with distain and hatred, because they see the actions of false Christians and think that’s what Christianity is all about. The lies of Satan, the great Deceiver, spread freely, and persecution results.

Real Christians are not those who say they are Christians. You can’t tell a genuine follower of Jesus by which church he goes to, how much he puts in the offering plate, which political party he subscribes to, etc. Real Christians are those who do what Jesus said, and He said things like…

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

– John 13:34-35 (ESV)

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”

– Luke 6:35 (ESV)

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”

– Matthew 5:44 (ESV)

True Christians are identified by love in action. This love includes doing tangible good to others, as well as warning the lost of the coming judgment, and pointing them to Jesus as the only savior from sin and hell. Some will not listen; others will slander and harm us. But when mistreated, a follower of Jesus does not respond in kind. A true Christian continues to love and do them good anyway, just as our heavenly Father continues to do them good. A Christian can do this only because he submits himself to the Holy Spirit Who enables him to do this. (Without such submission, the true Christian will have difficulty loving as he should.)

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

– Galatians 6:10 (ESV)

See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

– 1 Thessalonians 5:13

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

– 3 John 11

For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

– 1 Peter 3:17