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I just wanted to pass along what the Lord has impressed on me about how to operate in the days ahead:
"Seek justice,
Reprove the ruthless,
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow."
- Isaiah 1:17
Seek justice. In this verse, the God is pointing out what Israel needed to do to repent and turn back to him. The people's failure to seek justice provoked God's anger and judgment against Judah and Jerusalem.
Note that seeking justice has two aspects:
- Stand up against oppressors.
- Stand up for the oppressed.
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves."
- Matthew 10:16
Be shrewd as the devil and walk righteous. If there is ever a time when Jesus' disciples are going out as sheep among wolves, it is the days ahead.
Serpents, in this verse, are a metaphor for the devil. And wow, is the devil shrewd! Jesus wants his children to be as shrewd as the devil: Wise, knowing, clever, canny.
The other half of this verse is to walk in the ways of the Lord: Love, truth, righteousness.
"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy."
- James 3:7
Finally, be at peace. God is a God of peace.
2 comments:
STOP!! Dude, you're killing me!! Think about it; would Jesus-the son of GOD- say to anyone to go out & act like the devil?? Really??!!?? The dictionary(you outta read it sometime) says that "shrewd" is being astute(keen discernment) & sharp in matters(knowledgeable). These are POSITIVE TRAITS meaning, good to have in your daily life!! Jesus is saying, to paraphrase, "Look at the serpent(the snake) it has no legs or arms & yet it moves about quickly & can still eat a meal, because it has thought of ways to not be hindered by its perceived inadequacies." So, let us all look at this verse from a better point of view so that we can understand exactly what Jesus is saying to them & to us as we read it.
MAT 10:16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be keenly aware & knowledgeable of your situation yet do not sin." I think that this is easier to understand, don't you? To continue, no, the devil is not shrewd(positive trait), he is cunning, crafty, deceitful...all negative traits. Please, in all that you are here blogging about, do not say to others to go & act like the devil.
@ Brad Conrad.
Thanks for the comment, but I disagree.
This wasn't the only time Jesus said he wanted Christians to be more shrewd - shrewd as the devil, but not unrighteousness and deceitful as the devil. Read the parable of the unrighteous steward in Luke 16. Jesus gave as a moral example a man who squandered his master's possessions and, on his way out the door, partially forgave his master's debtors to ingratiate himself with them. Note in particular verse 8:
"And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light."
I think it's clear Jesus wants his people to be more shrewd, like the sons of this age, though shrewd in an upright way. Who do the sons of this age follow? They follow Satan. So I stand by the admonition: Be shrewd as the devil.
By the way, you should avoid snarky comments like, "You oughtta read the dictionary sometime."
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