Several times I’ve read the story where the wise grandfather counsels the young grandchild talking, in the variation I’ve read, about the two wolves who live inside you and fight for domination. One which is all things bad and one which is all things good. The grandchild asks which one wins; the grandfather replies, “the one you feed.” There are many variations on the “feeding” parable or story or whatever you wish to call it but they all say the same thing: whatever you feed, grows. There’s also quite a bit of empirical evidence for that whether crops, or children, or bread dough and yeast.
I spent all of my career in higher education surrounded by well-educated and well-trained people. People who taught others, who discovered life-saving drugs or procedures, who designed exquisite buildings and city developments, who made a huge difference in others’ lives. People who well understand how to pose a hypothesis, develop a theory, do research including unearthing primary sources, ignore anonymous reports, write and create soul moving plays and compositions.
So I am quite saddened to see and hear many of them “scanning” the headlines and then making bombastic statements that are devoid of any research on their part. When challenged, the reply is “I read it in the news.”
Even if one does not have the experience and training of understanding and practicing investigation and inquiry, we have the ability to question and check things out rather than just repeat them and pass them on. The mocking, dismissive behaviors and the critical spirits that are being fostered are unworthy of us but sadly, becoming more and more common.
What are we feeding? How are we feeding it? And what are the fruits of what is growing and becoming stronger? We must choose wisely what we feed.
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” – II Peter 1:5-7
Just Sayin' 