Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

We're all familiar with the classic nursery rhyme about the three little pigs who face the onslaught of a terroristic wolf, only to discover that their preconceived notions of proper building materials are called into serious question and their lives severely jeopardized when he "huffs and puffs" and seeks to blow their shanty habitations down.  In the end, the eldest of the pigs safeguards his less-than-competent brethren in the house he built of brick, and they best the wolf by sealing off every possible entrance and even by lighting a fire when he climbs down the chimney. 

To some this may seem a lesson in reversing natural selection (take that, Darwin--right?), but I think there is an even greater lesson to be learned.  We are all faced with the onslaught of the evil one--Satan, Lucifer, the devil, whatever name you want to give him--every single day of our lives.  He is the Big Bad Wolf, seeking to blow our houses down and leave us prey to his insatiable appetite.  How then do we overcome this monster?  Is it by building our safeguards of straw or twigs--by simply saying we belive in Christ without actually following His commandments?  Of course not.  A Book of Mormon prophet named Helaman put it this way:



Christ it our Sure Foundation



And now, my sons, remember...that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds...when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down...because of the rock upon which ye are built...a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.        (Helaman 5:12)


That's the key right there.  We build ourselves upon Christ so when the devil huffs and puffs and tries to blow us down, we'll be the last man standing.  We build ourselves by keeping His commandments, great and small.  And that's it.

Much Love,

Elder Spendlove

Image of wolf and pig from: http://allgraphicsonline.com/picture/11428/
Image of rock from: http://diapersanddivinity.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/rock.jpg