Our reading today is Matthew 10:16
“Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
What a pairing, a snake and dove. One slithers with caution, the other soars with gentleness. Yet together they form the posture of a disciple in a dangerous world.
Consider the snake. It does not rush blindly. It tests the ground before moving. It senses danger before it strikes. Its survival depends on alertness. That is shrewdness, wisdom wrapped in caution. Jesus knew His followers would need this same awareness. Wolves lurk in the shadows of culture, ready to tear down faith. Shrewdness keeps us steady, discerning, prepared.
But shrewdness alone is not enough. Enter the dove. Harmless. Gentle. Pure. The dove reminds us that our caution must never harden into cruelty. Joseph in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, Paul in Rome, all lived with this balance. They navigated hostile worlds with wisdom, yet their hearts remained soft.
So Jesus sends us out. Not naïve, but not cynical. Not careless, but not callous. Shrewd as a snake. Innocent as a dove. Wise enough to see danger, gentle enough to reflect His love.
Walk today with both alert eyes and a tender heart.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.