Arrogance

Mystery's Voice

Arrogance

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Arrogance

The Wolf Within

Cindy MacGregor

Jun 21, 2026

The wolf is a predatorial animal who tends to travel and hunt its prey in packs. An “apex predator,” the wolf is at the top of the food chain. Seeing other people as lesser than, as lower in humanity’s hierarchy, human arrogance is a wolf within.

Note about the image: Created using Microsoft Copilot.

My Mysterious Mind

In recent weeks I have been fascinated with World War II. It started with watching a documentary about FDR. Then, Netflix trying to cater to my interests, suggested “Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial.” I watched all six episodes and then finished my journey into this ugly era with a movie called “Nuremberg.” I thought watching the story of the psychiatrist who worked with the 22 Nazi war criminals and bringing them to justice would bring me some type of closure. Instead, the movie ended with a note about how the psychiatrist committed suicide by taking a cyanide capsule, just like Goring, Hitler’s number two.

Darkness, horror, and more darkness. At least 60 million people dead because of one world war. Why?

A few months ago, I read a book called “Man is Wolf to Man” – it’s about one man’s time in Russian gulags. This book is a favorite of my son-in-law; one he loaned me to read. You see, my son-in-law and I have a two-person book club. We each provide a book for the other from our collection and later, after we’ve read our “assigned” book, we have a sort of book report/conversation. I would NEVER have chosen this book on my own. It was deeply disturbing and left me without a sense of meaning or hope.

However, it does portray an accurate depiction of a troubling truth about humans. As the “apex predator” on the planet, capable of slaying any beast, people have often preyed on other people. From one person murdering another person to world leaders who lead their people into deadly battles, man is certainly wolf to man.

As I struggled with images of the Holocaust and the callous testimonies of those responsible, I searched for evidence of man’s goodness. And I found it in tales of severe sacrifice of those who fought to bring right where there was wrong, freedom where there was oppression, and justice were there was unthinkable crime. FDR served until the presidency took his last breath, staying in office because of the war. Millions of soldiers fought against tyranny, many died. Their families also suffered.

I also searched to understand what it is that turns a human being into a wolf to other human beings. And what turned Goring’s psychiatrist into a wolf towards himself, taking his own life?

The answer I see: Arrogance.

Hitler’s arrogance led others in an arrogance that fueled a scourge that spread over Europe and built 1200 concentration camps. It was the humble dedication of Allied leaders who sent millions of soldiers into a war that defeated the Nazis. The psychiatrist who studied Goring was drawn in by his own arrogance at wanting to write a book and become famous. He thought he could master the wolf in Goring but succumbed to the wolf inside of himself.

I have named that wolf. His name is Arrogance.

Message of Mystery Acres

There is no sign of wolves in our bit of forest. We hear no howling, nor see any footprints. However, we often hear coyotes in the distance. Their yipping can be quite noisy, but they pose no danger to humans.

The neighbor has seen evidence of mountain lions, including one who was foraging for trash in the bed of his truck. That was years before we purchased Mystery Acres. The last confirmed mountain lion in the county was in 2016. Also known as cougars, mountain lions are apex predators, same as wolves. Attacks on humans are extremely rare, and, like overgrown cats, mountain lions prefer to do their own thing away from interference of people.

Nonetheless, in the obscure chance I did cross paths with a mountain lion at Mystery Acres, I would most certainly take the threat seriously. If I can trust the internet, I should make a lot of noise and wave my arms around, so I don’t look like easy prey. And I wouldn’t run because that might trigger the predator to chase me.

The message of Mystery Acres about wolves is not to live in fear of them, but to be prepared in case my meanderings do encounter one, or possibly a mountain lion. It is unlikely, but not impossible. No need to avoid walking in the woods. For me, there is far more danger in poison ivy.

Ancient Mystery’s Voice

“Jesus said, ‘I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.’” (Matthew 10:16)

The Bible often uses imagery to communicate important truths about people. Matthew recorded the words of Jesus prior to the first missionary trip he assigned to the original twelve disciples. In chapter ten, Jesus gave instructions for how to respond when they were not welcomed at a house. These instructions included “shake off the dust from your feet when you leave,” which brought to my mind the mortality of lifeless dust (I wrote about this in my last post). When someone didn’t want to hear the message of life in Christ, the disciples were to leave the dust of that house behind. Mortality would remain there.

Then, Jesus told the disciples they were to be as wise as serpents but as harmless/innocent as doves, sent as sheep into the midst of wolves. Somehow, the disciples were to be a combination of sheep/serpent/dove when going into places where people might reject what they had to say. That rejection would cause wolf-like behavior towards the disciples. Rather than respond as wolves, the disciples were to be wise, innocent, and humble.

This is some crazy imagery. A harmless, humble sheep walks with wisdom among its enemies, who are represented as wolves. In nature, wolves usually leave snakes alone, respecting them as apex predators whose prey is rodents. Wolves don’t prey on doves either. Sheep, however, are an attractive, potential meal for wolves.

A sheep who is unaware of wolves, lacking in the shrewdness of a serpent, is in danger. A very rough paraphrase of the advice from Jesus would be, “Don’t be a dumb sheep when you travel where there might be wolves.” Furthermore, behave like a harmless dove, not a threat to the wolves. Go in humility among the arrogant.

After this animal-infused directive to His disciples, Jesus summarized by saying, “Beware of man.” He elaborated with examples of those in power using that power against the disciples, in other words: wolves with power. The worst kind of wolves.

Ancient Mystery’s Voice, the words of Jesus, provide a caution to His followers. They also highlight the danger of wolves in powerful positions and how to behave when traveling in wolf-infested territory. Be wise. Be humble. Stay alert.

Living in Mystery

What does it mean to live in the mystery of arrogance, the wolf within? It starts with the uncomfortable realization that there is a wolf of arrogance in every person, including me, and you. Each of us has a tendency to want to elevate self over others, judging, finding fault, seeking superiority. Simple arrogant thoughts sneak into our minds, such as “I would never do something like that,” or “How can anyone be so stupid!”

Even in thinking about Hitler and the Germans, we want to believe, “I would never fall for something like that!” And there it is; putting ourselves above those foolish Germans.

Arrogance is such a sneaky wolf.

Some friends just returned from a trip to Germany. The people living there, 80 years after the end of World War II, are clearly impacted by their ancestors’ experiences. Humbled by the tragedy their people brought to the world through their allegiance to Hitler, Germans are shrewdly vigilant to not repeat history. Innocent as doves, wise as serpents, they are unwilling to surrender their allegiance as sheep to another wolf.

Beware of man. Man is wolf to man. This is not just a caution about the subtle, destructive persuasion of dangerous leaders. The wolf nature in each of us is continually prowling for a way to destroy our relationships through eyes of disdain for others.

I am the wolf. You are the wolf.

But the wolves in us don’t have to lead to destruction. Be alert. Be humble. Be wise. Remember to be a dove. Remember you are a sheep. And there is One greater who is Your shepherd.

Surrender your pride. Confess your arrogance. Think of yourself as no better than anyone else.

Transform the wolf inside of you into a domesticated dog, loyal, submissive, and loving. Look again at the wolf in the image for this message. Is the canine an arrogant wolf, or a dog surrendered peacefully to its Master? When I want to be better than others, perhaps I can, instead, focus on the One who is Greater than I.

The message of Mystery’s Voice is this: Each of us contains the potential destruction of an arrogant wolf, viewing others as lesser than us. With eyes of assessing judgment, we see the inferiority of those around us, elevating ourselves into a place above them. This dangerous arrogance can be replaced by humble awareness of our lower place relative to the One who made us. The wolf within cannot be eliminated, but it can be changed into a dog content to submit to One Greater.

Arrogance can be replaced with Humility.

Connecting with Mystery

Dear Lord of All Mystery, I confess to thoughts of superiority and judgment towards others I perceive as less than me. Help me replace this wolf of arrogance with a surrendered version of myself, acknowledging You are Greater. As I humbly submit to You, my Shepherd, keep me wise in the ways of wolves in others. Amen.