Shrewd & Innocent Matthew 10:16

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

There is a brand of Christianity today that is politically active and militant.  It is natural to want to fight for our territory and hang on to what we already have and guard our rights -it is natural, but not necessarily Biblical.  It would be nice if Jesus had said something like, "I'm sending you out like a giant roaring Lion among wolves."  Or, "I'm sending you out like dominant alpha-wolves among lesser wolves."   That, however, is not the word picture he gave us.  He said we were like sheep (no natural defenses) among wolves.  For we who are in Christ doing Kingdom work (the work He actually instructs us to do) we are, of course, protected; we don't need natural defenses because we are under the care of the Good Shepherd.

Notice, though, that our protection is conditional: first we must be In Christ, and second we must be doing what He has instructed.  If either one of these conditions are not accurate, we will be facing the wolves in our own power with our own resources to accomplish our own agendas.

Some good news here: we don't have to guess what Kingdom work Jesus wants us to be doing.  Forget this world's politics.  Forget fighting to hang on to our rights.  Forget guarding our territory.  That is temporary stuff.  We are instructed to destroy the works of the devil by preaching this message: "The kingdom of heaven is near."  we are to be healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing those who have leprosy, and driving out demons. (Matthew 10:7-8)

In another place Jesus claimed this as His mission statement (and therefore as ours): "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19)

And because we are doing this vital Kingdom ministry as sheep among wolves, we are instructed to be both shrewd and innocent.  We are to be innocent as in not stirring up trouble for trouble's sake, not causing harm to those to whom we ought to be ministering, not being mean spirited or small minded.  But we are to be shrewd as in seeking God's direction and wisdom at every step and using His wisdom to devise strategies and plans, not putting our faith in man-made plans and agendas, not being blind or ignorant or naive. 

Lord, today grant me wisdom to hear and trust and obey, using Your directions and Your wisdom to be as shrewd as a snake and as innocent as a lamb, so that Your Kingdom purposes will be accomplished and Your Kingdom will grow.  Amen.