How to be as wise as a serpent

Matthew 10:16-18 (ESV)
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogue and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.

If wisdom comes from God, why does Jesus say that we should be wise like a serpent? To answer this question, I want us to look at the verse in the context it was taken from.

After the Lord had empowered his disciples with authority in Matthew 10: 1, he proceeded to caution them about the dangers of preaching the gospel to the lost. He warned them about the ‘wolves’ or should I say the ‘enemies of Christ’, who they would encounter on their missionary journey. ‘Jesus’ enemies’ were going to character assassinate them, by publicly persecuting them in religious circles and before higher authorities such as kings and governors.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matthew 10:22

The disciples of Jesus ( past, present and future) will face persecution. There will be no escape. Yet, despite this revelation, the Spirit of the Lord himself will be there to help them in times of trouble. He will put his words in their mouths and strengthen them during periods of weakness (Matthew 10:19).

As we obey the Lord’s instructions and apply his knowledge to our Christian walk, we too will see why it is important to be as ‘ wise as serpent and as innocent as a dove’ in the face of persecution.

The life of a serpent

Luke 16:8-9 (RV)
 And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles

One of the reasons why people may overlook the instructions of Jesus in Matthew 10:16, is because they do not know how to apply this word in their evangelical walk. Why should a believer in Christ learn from a snake, who scripture tells them they have authority and power to tread upon? (Luke 10: 19). It makes no sense. Is not this the same reptile Satan used instrumentally to orchestrate the fall of mankind? Is not this the same serpent scripture tells us does the following:

A serpent bites: Proverbs 23:32 , Genesis 49:17 Ecclesiastes 10:11A serpent licks and eats the dust: Micah 7:17A serpent is a deceiver: 2 Corinthians 11:3A serpent is cunning and crafty: Genesis 3:1A serpent is poisonous: Deuteronomy 32:33, Psalm 58:4A serpent hisses: Jeremiah 46:22
• A serpent has power: Luke 10:19
• A serpent is wise: Matthew 10:16

It is this last point that we want to look at: The wisdom of the serpent. Without wisdom, the serpent would not be able to successfully deceive and skilfully enforce its power over its prey in an unassuming manner. Without wisdom a serpent will not be able to enact harm. The strength of a serpent is not in its venom, nor is it in his hiss, his strength is found in how he applies his wisdom, and not in the wisdom per se. The serpent demonstrates a clever resourcefulness in practical matters. He is wise and farsighted. This point may explain, why the Lord tell us to be as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove. We are not looking to acquire earthly, soulish, or satanic wisdom to win souls, it is impossible. Only the Spirit of the Lord can convict and save souls. Instead, the conduct of a disciple sent into the world to evangelise to the lost, must be wise (shrewd) and blameless.

Conduct yourself wisely and stay blameless.

So what does a wise and blameless disciple look like? and how do you preserve the integrity of the Holy Spirit in your walk? To answer these questions let us look at some examples in scripture.

Acts 22:23-29 (NIV)
 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”

When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.” The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.

Did you see how Apostle Paul avoided being beaten by a centurion, by simply proclaiming his innocence wisely? He did not have to use his flesh, in order to fight off the centurion, neither did he lie. All he had to do was be ‘as wise as a serpent, and be as innocent as a dove’ (Matthew 10: 32-33).

Acts 23:5-9 (ESV) 

And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’” Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”

 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?

In the face of persecution Apostle Paul did not sin. Neither did he transfer blame. Instead, he maintained his purity and innocence, as he shrewdly exploited a weakness between two allegiances: the Pharisees and the Sadducees. He used his experience as Pharisee, to mention the ‘hope and the resurrection of the dead ’ to bring division between two groups of religious people who sought to persecute him. As the Pharisees and the Sadducees fought amongst themselves, Apostle Paul was acquitted of any wrong doing.

After reading this extract you may say that Apostle Paul was ‘as wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove’, in the face of persecution.

Following on from these examples, here is some advice on how to be:

as wise as a serpent:

1. Exercise discernment and wisdom in your daily interactions with others. Never assume anything. Use the guiding eyes of the Holy Spirit to help you make sound judgement.
2. Be an active listener. It is an interesting fact that snakes have internal ears not external ones. Learn from this. Listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit, more so that using your natural senses to dictate your next move.
3. Ask for wisdom when you are unsure. Remember God gives wisdom to all who ask liberally.
4. Exercise caution when navigating your surroundings. Be alert to any risks or potential dangers.
5. Know times and seasons. Do not move hastily. Move knowingly. Know the people, the culture, the environment, what they do and when.
6. Avoid using deceptive strategies, such as manipulation. You do not need to deceive people in order to win souls or escape persecution. You just need to stand upon the truth of the word of God and rest in who God is. God will take care of the rest.

And innocent as a dove:

1. Have Faith. A Christian walk is a faith walk.
2. Check your heart’s motive towards others. It should be pure. A believer will always seek reconciliation with understanding, in times of conflict.
3. Tame the flesh: evangelism is not a competition between believers. Nor is it a time for you to be aggressive or retaliative in your conduct. The gospel is God’s love revealed in the life of Christ Jesus for all unbelievers.
4. Abide in the word of God: John 17: 17. The word of God will renew your mind and transform your heart, so that your conduct before God and others is true and undefiled.
5. Pray without ceasing.
6. Remain in contact with the Holy Spirit.
7. Seek the well-being of others. Be kind, empathetic and compassionate in your ways.

Today I urge you to begin to apply the words of Jesus to your life. Be wise. Be innocent and live before God blameless. Think about your walk as a disciple in Christ.

How can you apply Matthew 10:16 to your life?