“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”— Matthew 10:16 NKJV
How wise is a serpent? That’s the first question that came to mind when I gazed at Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:16. Jesus knew that we live in an evil age (Galatians 1:4) and the world is lying in wickedness (1 John 5:19). So when He told the disciples to be as wise as a serpent, He was bringing their mind to the comprehension that there are strategies to use if they want to fulfil their divine assignments.
A serpent has a cunning nature. It hides in secret places and intends to deceive people to get what it wants (I speak of this as to what happened to Eve in Genesis 3, not necessarily that a serpent has a voice to speak because it’s an animal, not a human). What does this mean to us, the children of God?
Just because God has given you a vision doesn’t mean you should do it haphazardly. No! You’ve got to depend on Him to get the strategy to go by it, or else you’ll be devoid of intellectual property, and that mandate will crush. In fact, this principle existed before Jesus’ incarnation.
When God told Samuel to go to Jesse’s house and anoint the next king of Israel, he didn’t know how to carry it out (1 Samuel 16:1-2). Samuel knew that by all means, he had to pass through Saul’s residence to get to the place God was sending him. And if the king heard about it, he (Saul) would kill the prophet. So Samuel asked the Lord about the strategy, and God revealed it more clearer.
You need wisdom to build anything, be it ministry, business or any organisation, to last. And it’s by that need Jesus warns you to be as wise as a serpent.
Friend, don’t just do things that come to mind. Go to God and probe further because He’ll show you how to go about them if those ideas are from Him.
You’re a blessing.
Prayer
Father, thank You for warning me through Your Son that I must be as wise as a serpent in fulfilling my divine mandate. Provide every wisdom I need to do your work and the skills I should possess to make it stand strong. In Jesus’ mighty name, I pray. Amen!
Devotional Code: KGD – 2023 – 200
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