Slithering Snakes

I hate snakes, I don't know what happened to me, it was never that way when I was younger. As a kid I used to play around with them all the time. I went to church camp and I remember it was a competition on how many we could catch. I even got a nickname at this camp of "Snake Bite Turnquist" because I got bit a couple times that summer. Not exactly a nickname that I am proud of. I must have gotten soft in my old age. I do not like them and I do not want them around. So you can imagine my dismay as I read the following verse:

Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. -Matthew 10:16

Why in the world would Jesus tell us to be like a serpent? Wasn't that who deceived Eve in the garden, aren't they symbols of the devil? I can see examples being sheep and doves those make sense to me, those are nice metaphors. But a snake, really?! So let's dig a little deeper into this picture that Jesus is painting.

So the Greek word for wise here means to be prudent, careful, cunning, discerning, thoughtful, intelligent, or sensible.

This is how Jesus was instructing the disciples to operate as they went out to the surrounding cities bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. Oh ok, so Jesus was saying to go about life like a snake does, not to be a snake. Think about how a snake moves through its environment. It lies low, stays quiet, and blends into the environment. As it moves it is always evaluating its surroundings looking for opportunities.

Jesus is telling us how we are to move through our everyday lives. We are to walk with prudence, carefully planning where we are going. Always discerning the environment around us. Just like the snake can sense the vibrations around it , and uses it's tongue to pick up scents from the environment around it, these scents help lead and guide where the snake should go. The Holy Spirit is our guide, He gives us discernment and leads us in the direction that we need to go.

No matter where we go we can listen to the Holy Spirit and respond to the circumstances that are in front of us. It may be praying for someone that is limping through Walmart with a cast on their leg. It may be paying for a meal for someone at the next table in a restaurant. When we are aware of what is going on around us and open to the Holy Spirit's direction we will be able to take advantage of the opportunities that are around us.

We get to partner with God and see His power change people's lives as we set ourselves to be wise as serpents.