Wolf in Sheeps Clothing

 

A wolf in sheep’s clothing is someone who appears to be friendly and to be concerned with your best interest, but who actually has hidden motives to take advantage of you or use you in some manner. 

The idiom wolf in sheep’s clothing is found in the New Testament, “Matthew 7:15” – “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

Signs of a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

• They are completely self-absorbed and enamoured with authority.

This leader’s motivation for seeking and retaining power is purely egotistical. One’s relationships are used and abused for the express goal of exerting more power. A false leader will use their authority to institute policies and practices that go against God’s will. Instead of liberating people with the truth, they prefer to keep them confined inside his authority.

• When they are criticised, they get angry and refuse to accept correction.

There won’t be any signs of regret or contrition from a wolf in sheep’s clothing when you call them out on their deception. If you criticise this individual, they will respond with wrath, bitterness and rudeness and likely turn the criticism around on you. They are only concerned with protecting themselves, hence they are extremely aggressive toward anyone who challenges their dominance. A wolf can be submissive while in front of an audience, but once threatened, they will lash out viciously.

• They manipulate you with their feelings to get what they want.

A wolf is skilled at using his or her words and emotions to influence others. The powerless are kept subservient employing means of flattery, guilt, humiliation, and terror. A wolf is sensitive to when to use flattery to boost confidence and when to use cutting remarks to provoke insecurity.

• They are devoid of the Spirit’s fruit.

In “Galatians 5:22-23” Paul lays forth the personality qualities and habits that define a person who is walking in step with the Holy Spirit. The wolf is incapable of bearing spiritual fruit. They may put up a good face in public, appearing caring and considerate, but behind closed doors, they’re lacking in the fruits of the spirit. As soon as it feels threatened, a wolf gives in to its baser instincts and acts accordingly.

• They have inconsistencies in the way that they deliver their stories.

If you confront a wolf in sheep’s clothing about their behaviour, you can be certain that you will be met with an angry response. There is no other way to induce an “aggressive” reply out of them other than to profoundly irritate them as you have just done. When you do so, the individual you are dealing with will begin to look for reasonable justifications for the acts that they have taken, which is exactly what you want to happen. However, due to a lack of adequate reasoning, they would not be sufficient enough to convince you of anything.

An occasion might be a scenario in which you have reason to believe that the person you are dealing with could be cheating you. If you were to approach them, it is quite possible that they would grow angry while feverishly attempting to think of a justification for what they did. As a consequence of this, their tale will be riddled with errors since they had so little time to think about it, and you will come to understand their genuine character and motives.

In conclusion: –

Let me say that the “Christian brother or sister” can become “wolfish” in their way of life and behaviour and can start to express all that has been briefly said above. However, let’s remember that intent should always be to “win over our brother / sister” and to see them having a repentant walk of faith and being re-united in true fellowship with the rest of the Body of Christ.

Bless You

Albert