Through My African Eyes: Dangerous as a Serpent and Docile as a dove
04-06-2022
By Stephen Apollo
As I did one of my devotions this week, my attention was stayed at Matthew 10:16 (ESV),
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
In this text Jesus uses metaphorical language to tell his followers to exercise whatever wise shrewdness they can, to avoid conflict and danger, without losing the dove-like innocence that will allow them to continue to proclaim the gospel without fear. I believe this is a hard balance to keep, but it was necessary for the mission to be successful.
You will note that Jesus took a good side of both the serpent and the dove. Inversely, the serpent is also very dangerous and poisonous and the dove is also very docile. If Jesus was to warn them using the same frame of thought, perhaps he would have told them something like this, “Do not be dangerous as serpents and do not be docile like doves.”
Today many Christians are seen as very dangerous and poisonous. How many Christians have poisoned thriving relationships? How many Christians today spew the poisonous venom of hatred? How many Christians are a threat today to other people in their speech, character, and dealings? Are you dangerous as a serpent?
As Christians we are not supposed to be docile at the face of many injustices going on in our country and communities. God has given us the precious gift of voice. Speak out! As lovers of justice and truth, we cannot afford the luxury of sitting on the fence. We need to take a position, a just and godly position and speak out against exclusion, prejudices, and oppression by whomever. Are you docile as a dove?
Are you as shrewd as a snake and as innocent as a dove? Or are you as dangerous as a serpent and as docile as a dove? Think about it.
