‘Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves’ (Mattew 10:16)
The Christian life is not one of naïve faith but of wise discernment. Jesus commanded, “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16), reminding believers that following Him requires both purity and prudence. We walk in a world filled with deceit and temptation, so Scripture calls us to use wisdom from above — Proverbs teaches, “The prudent see danger and take refuge” (Proverbs 22:3), showing that wisdom protects faith and preserves purpose.
Paul echoes this call: “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time” (Colossians 4:5). Like Daniel in Babylon, Christians are to live with conviction and cunning, faithful to God yet shrewd in a hostile world. To be wise as serpents means understanding evil without becoming evil —guided by the Spirit, anchored in truth, and alert in every step
Rev. Josh Dickinson
