Lions & Hyenas

If I showed you a picture of a lion and a hyena, could you tell the difference? Of course you could. But in the everyday jungle where we live, it isn’t nearly that obvious.

I got a call the other day, one that I have received far too many times and, of course, over many years of life, have experienced myself. The story? A handful of weaker, passive, fear- and pride-filled men trying to take another man down. It’s the classic pack of hyenas trying to force a lion out of their part of the jungle. They know they can’t do it alone, so they find common ground and goals and decide to team up against him. 99% of the time the hyenas plan an ambush because they know a full frontal attack with a warning means they will lose. They meet in secret to plot how to get rid of the lion that intimidates their domain. And lions usually don’t know they’re intimidating, because, well, they’re lions. (Remember Jesus and the Pharisees?)

Here are a few points from the law of the jungle.

The heart of Adam—flesh—is a hyena. The heart of Christ—spirit—is a lion.

We are all going to be hyenas at times but, in Christ, we are all given the choice to be a lion at any time we choose to call on His name.

Just because a man has given his heart to the Lion of Judah doesn’t mean he will choose to stop behaving like a hyena.

The more time we spend in obedience as a lion, the more our minds are transformed away from the pack and will have dominion over the areas of the jungle the King intends a lion to have.

What do you do if the Lion tells you that you’re running with hyenas?

If you are involved with a pack and targeting someone who doesn’t know there is a problem or an ambush coming, get honest with God and yourself, get things right with anyone the pack has or is hurting, and then separate from them. Get in the Word and remind yourself how a lion thinks and acts.

What if you are being cornered by a pack of hyenas?

First, reveal and confess any of your own hyena behavior that could be contributing to the problem. Once that’s done or you discern there is not any such behavior, then call on the Lion to lead you in the battle. Reach out to another lion or two for accountability and counsel. One of the most important points in this scenario is to stay a lion and not be tempted to act like a hyena to defeat hyenas.

What if you really aren’t sure how to be a lion?

Two things. First, daily, run with the Lion of Judah, and second, run with other lions to learn how they think, act, and live. We will become who we hang out with most, and lions attract other lions, just like hyenas attract their own as well.

Here’s the great news: The Lion of Judah invites you every day to travel the jungle with Him. And He never runs with hyenas.

See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. —Revelation 5:5 NIV

The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. —Proverbs 28:1 NIV