Wise & Gentle?

Matthew 10:16-22, Amplified Bible
16 “Listen carefully: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves [have no self-serving agenda]. 17 Beware of men [whose nature is to act in opposition to God], for they will hand you over to the courts and flog you in their synagogues; 18 and you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given you within that [very] hour; 20 for it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will rise up and rebel against their parents and cause them to be put death. 22 And you will be hated by everyone because of [your association with] My name, but it is the one who has patiently persevered and endured to the end who will be saved.


Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
I want to share with you what is on my heart as I write this blog. The current state of the society we live in today is truly troubling & concerning. This world has gone dark and everything the Bible shares about the state of the world in the Last Days seems to be playing out right before our very eyes. We currently live in a post-Christian country. More people deny Christianity than profess Christianity. We are the country that needs missionaries from other countries to come and evangelize us. Our society has come to the point of calling Good, evil and Evil, good. Individuals are lovers of themselves more than they are lovers of God. The good news is there are still faithful believers who are trying to walk the straight and narrow, love and worship God, and find a way to continue growing in their faith, but this has become very difficult!

When Jesus gave His marching orders to the disciples before sending them out two by two, to do ministry and to preach the Kingdom of God He shared with them these wise words. I firmly believe this passage of scripture holds a lot of wisdom for us today. How are we supposed to grow in our faith and help others find their faith in a world that has grown dark? How are we supposed to hunger for righteousness when the world is laden with unrighteousness? How can we be effectual witnesses for Jesus when everything in our society seems to be anti-God & anti-Jesus? These are common questions & concerns we all have.

Jesus admits in this passage He is sending the disciples out as sheep among the wolves. Some of these wolves are in sheep's clothing. Jesus says to be wise as serpents. Let's explore this a little bit.

• Stay in tune with the Holy Spirit and let God discern for you what is right and what is wrong. One of the biggest problems in the church today is that sin has become acceptable, and believers are being desensitized to the destructive power of sin. The days of turning a blind eye to sin has to come to an end. We have to let the Word of God be our guide and let the Holy Spirit be the force in our lives that sanctifies us from sin. The wisdom here is not to stray from God.
• Secondly, we have to start trusting God again. We let the confusion of this world confound our way of thinking. Doubt and fear have no place in the lives of God's children. When doubt and fear creep in then comes all of the heartaches and tribulations right along with it. Trust God! Let God fight your battles and depend on God to supply all of your needs! Jesus told the disciples that God will give you what to say in front of your accusers. It is wise to repent of our doubt and to beg God to increase our faith.
• Thirdly, when we find ourselves in situations where we have to choose between what the world says is acceptable and what God says is acceptable, we have to have the confidence to do what is right. These times come about more than we would like them to. The truth is people will look for our acceptance of their ways of believing as a form of justification for their actions. We have to stand for what is right according to the scriptures and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Wisdom is when we are questioning what to do, we choose to do the right thing always.

Jesus also warned the disciples to be gentle as doves. It is a hurtful thing not to love others as Jesus loves them or not to give them grace as Jesus has given us grace. John Wesley shared with the people that calls themselves Methodists three simple rules. If we apply these practical approaches to the wisdom, we are learning we will be meek & gentle as the Holy Spirit has gifted us to be.

1. Do No Harm - Our commission is to love and help people to come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not the judge & jury that is Christ's job. We are called to be a light and an example and we walk upright in a loving Christ like manner without bringing shame to the name of Jesus like the religious leaders that nailed Him to an old rugged cross.
2. Do Good - It is absolutely necessary that we never stop doing good. We must learn to love our enemies and forgive those that trespass against us. Jesus calls us to be servants (e.g. washing feet). Doing good is our way of pushing back against the darkness that is overtaking this world.
3. Stay in Love with God - We have to guard our own hearts and protect our own walk-in faith. Once we drift away from God then we are susceptible to the ways of this world.  Pray without ceasing, feast off of God's Word, worship God without fear or inhibitions, and love one another in fellowship and service for this is how we keep ourselves close to our Heavenly Father. 

It is my prayer that these words encourage you and help you find peace through troubling times. Heavenly Father I pray for every person that comes across these words. Lord give them grace in their times of trouble. Lord give them peace when the enemy is trying to steal it away. Lord strengthen them as they navigate this world we live in today. Help us Lord is our prayer, In Jesus name I pray. Amen!