Tuesday Reading: Matthew 10:16-17
Key Verse: Matthew 10_16
16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.
Devotion:
When Jesus told the disciples to go out into all the land and preach the gospel He also gave them instruction on where they should go and who they should trust. His first description says that they should not stay where they are not fully welcomed; there is nothing more demoralising than trying to pass on God’s Word when you are being blocked every step of the way. But that does not mean that you should turn your back on those people because you can always lift them up in prayer. We may well not be strong enough to face up to people who will heckle us but God is certainly big enough to deal with them!
I like the way that Christ tells them to be aware of what is around them describing their journey as sheep walking amongst wolves; but when God is protecting you and leading you in that direction you can be assured that you will be safe still. He commands them to be as wise as serpents. When the serpent deceived Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden it was through cunning and deceitful means; this is not intended by Christ but rather we be as intelligent in our honest ways as he was in his dishonest ways. He also commanded them to be as harmless as doves. There is not much that is afraid of a dove but a dove is a very beautiful bird to look upon. That is how God would have us to act so that we would not scare anyone away.
It is no good trying to scare people into believing the gospel otherwise they will not want to come back for fear of being scared again. Instead we must show off the loving and peaceful side of our God but always keeping in mind that He is just and cannot abide sin. It is the people around us that will try to trip us up and make us fall; they are the one we have to be aware of because through their misguided loyalty they may well deliver us into the hands of the enemy.
Points to Ponder:
Are you scared to tell others about God?
Do you know you are on His side?
