Jesus said to his disciples that he was sending them out as, “sheep in the midst of wolves.” He advised them to be, “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” If we are Christians, we too are His disciples, and this advice, even commandment is to us too.
What does this mean to us in the year 2022? How do we exercise wisdom in our civil society? Do we appease the doers of dark deeds? Should we fall prey to the godless in order to prove that we are, “harmless as doves?” Do we really believe that this is wise, or is there another way?
Verse 17 warns us to beware of men who will bring us to court, will weaponize laws against us. They will despitefully use us, and challenge our resolve. They will present themselves as righteous, and demand judgement against us, the believers of God’s word. How is it that we are to react to this treatment?
Verses 19 and 20 tells us that we are not to depend upon our power of reason to develop a strategy for our own defense. We are to rely on the wisdom of God as supplied by the Holy Spirit.
Does this mean that we are to allow ourselves to be slandered, and the truth be plundered by the godless, to redound to the supremacy of godless ideology, and the degradation of God’s word? No, we should rely on God’s provision, meditating upon, and reasoning, based on the truth of God’s revelations to us.
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 10:22
“The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.” Matthew 10:24-26
We are not to strike out in anger, but we are also not to cower in fear. Our Father, the Lord of all creation, is the victor, and He has bequeathed His victorious righteousness to us in return for our trust in Him.
Jesus admonished us, “And you will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved…. Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a person’s enemies will be the members of his household.” Matthew 10:22,34-36
We are to stand firm in the truth, and we are to submit to that truth in faith, no matter who opposes us. Truth is, and will always be the victor, will we choose to side with it, or be defeated by liars?
God bless you, Dave