Is there a savage deep within you?

 You don’t have to dig very deep to see the savage in anyone. 



Many years ago when I was having a lot of church conflict, I was in conversation with my District Superintendent.  During that conversation he told me the following: You don’t have to dig very deep to see the savage in anyone.  Now I’m not sure who, if anyone he was quoting, but it has stuck with me now for over 30 years.


You know what?  He was right.  But before me or you start doing a quick inventory of all the savages around us let’s do some self-examination. 


First a little teaching:  There are three levels of your interaction with the written and living word of God.

Lowest level:  Information—knowing ABOUT the written word (Bible) and the living word (Jesus)

Middle level:  Formation—being and acting like the written word (Bible) and the living word (Jesus)

Highest level:  Equipping—doing like the written word (Bible) and the living word (Jesus)



The ‘savage’ in us keeps us at the lowest level.


Self examination:


  1. Who’s ‘rights’ are you most vigilant about yours or the poor, lonely, orphans, etc?
  2. How often, or what does it take, for you to just run off at the mouth over a situation?
  3. Who irks you the most?  Why?  Is there history with that person?  Did they offend you?
  4. How impatient are you in line-ups, with the government, at work, in traffic?
  5. What happens when someone tells you what to do?  How do you respond?
  6. What happens when you don’t get your own way?  You don’t get cooperation?  People don’t do what you tell them to do?
  7. How guarded are you in confession of your sin to God?  To others?  To yourself?
  8. How quick are you to give your opinion?  How forcibly?
  9. How exasperated are you with these questions?



What if the savage is closer to respond than you thought?


Let me explain what I believe and have experienced.  The situations that cause the savage in me to respond—-God will purposefully allow —over and over again.  Why?  Because he is interested in forming Christ within me. He will allow situations over and over again to bring me to a place of

  • Repentance
  • Confession
  • Surrender 

He wants me to come to the end of myself, give up, and trust him.  He wants me to allow him to manifest HIS life through me instead of the savage within!

He wants me to be sick and tired of that savage within,  and to be hungry for his presence and glory.






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