Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
Matthew 10:16 (NASB, 1995)
Living as a sheep among wolves has been one of the most confusing and terrifying experiences of my life. If you’ve been in a similar situation, you probably understand the challenges that come with it. It’s no fun. I’ve faced these challenges firsthand and have walked alongside others navigating environments filled with wolfish behavior. It can take many forms—having your character questioned or being falsely accused and mistreated. Those kinds of experiences have proved incredibly difficult for me, and they’ve truly tested my faith.
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus tells his disciples to expect persecution as he sends them into a hostile world. That was true for them, and it remains true for us today. So how do we integrate the seemingly incongruous traits of a snake and a dove? I learned much from this brief verse, where Jesus offers guidance on navigating such challenges while maintaining a Christian witness.
Follow the Shepherd
Do you truly recognize your need for Christ? Just as sheep need a shepherd for protection and guidance, we need Christ. Scripture tells us we are his sheep and the people of his pasture (Psalm 95:7). He calls us by name, and we hear his voice (John 10). If you trust Christ as your Shepherd and Savior, he will help you discern his voice and understand his direction. Our reliance on Christ will protect us from the wolves, while also showing us how the shepherd’s wisdom can guide us in our dealings with the world.
Stay Shrewd
What does it mean to be as shrewd as a serpent? Because of the woeful experience of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, we often associate negative traits with serpents. The word used in Genesis, arum, means cunning or crafty, implying skill and deception. However, Jesus’s concept of being shrewd is quite different. He calls for us to be phronimos, which means prudent or sensible, practically wise in relationships with others.
A great example of this is found in 2 Samuel 12, where the prophet Nathan cleverly tells a story that reveals King David’s sinful actions with Bathsheba and his role in Uriah’s murder. Nathan’s prudent storytelling leads the king to confess, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Nathan’s approach exemplifies shrewdness at its finest.
Stay Innocent
Doves have long been symbols of peace and hope. They were considered ceremonially clean for sacrifice, which may be why Jesus used them as an example. He employs the word akeraios, which means unmixed and pure rather than naive—in other words, 100 percent genuine. One of our greatest challenges is to remain faithful, honest, and pure in a world that tempts us to behave like wolves instead of sheep. Consider Joseph’s escape from sexual temptation when he fled from Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:6–12) and Daniel’s faithfulness to the God of Israel (Daniel 6:10–24) despite the king’s edict.
Know the Shepherd
Christ’s life exemplifies the perfect combination of shrewdness and innocence. He was innocent (Hebrews 4:15), compassionate (Matthew 9:36), and gentle (John 8:11), all while bringing unrighteousness into the light in ways that uniquely struck his listeners’ hearts.
In The Way of the Shepherd, Kevin Lehman and Bill Pentak share a story that illustrates how to be both shrewd and innocent. They tell the story of a young shepherd boy. One day, a dog attacked one of his ewes. For several days afterward, the boy made sure the injured sheep walked alongside him wherever the flock went, providing her with protection and a chance to heal. Even after the ewe recovered, she kept walking next to the boy.
So what’s the remedy? Stay close to your shepherd, Jesus Christ. Walk alongside him, and commit to knowing him well by understanding his life, teachings, and the entirety of his Word. Become a skilled practitioner of the Word of God in all areas of life. He will protect you from the wolves of the world by imparting true wisdom and an “unmixed” innocence as you navigate this life.
Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:12 (HCSB)
Shirley Ralston (MACE, 2008) is the Global Marketplace Missions Training Manager for The Upstream Collective. She is a writer and pastor’s research team member at Houston’s First Baptist Church (HFBC). Additionally, she is a founding member of the HFBC Missionary Care Team. Shirley and her husband, Jeff, reside in Houston after several years of serving as marketplace global workers in the Middle East and the South Pacific.