“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”
This passage is one of the most interesting pieces of advice that Jesus gave his disciples. Before he sends them out to preach the good news of the kingdom he warns them about wolves. It’s quite obvious that a sheep has no chance of surviving against a pack of wolves, even with the help of a shepherd it would be very difficult. So Jesus tells them to be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.
You may have been walking into the woods one day and have run across a snake. I remember one time while walking on a road I was stopped dead in my tracks by the sound of a rattlesnake. The only problem was I couldn’t see it. I scanned all around me but I still couldn’t see a snake. Luckily a truck drove by and I think after that the snake fled. Every snake that I’ve run across has known I was there before I knew they were there. As Christians be on alert and on the defensive. This world is not our home and we have to be on the alert while we are in enemy territory. However, at the same time, Jesus tells us to be innocent as doves. There have been many times this week during my trip to Ukraine that I’ve practically almost stepped on doves while walking downtown through Ivano-Frankivsk. Doves are incredibly comfortable around humans and are not easily scared. They exist peacefully in whatever environment they are in.
As we go about doing God’s work, keep your eyes open for opportunities and also for trouble. If we are unaware then we are likely to fall for Satan’s schemes to divide and destroy us.
Always pursue peace with all, but keep your eyes open for the schemes of the enemy!
Jared Kelly
Dalraida church of Christ is a congregation of Christians that meet in the mid-town area of Montgomery, Alabama. Our goal and purpose is to seek and follow God and His Word in everything that we do in life.