Using strip clubs to be as wise as serpents?
When Jesus was sending out His disciples to preach the Gospel, the Lord gave them some very strange advice, He said: 16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:16 ESV) Many struggle to interpret what Jesus meant by this. Biblically, the serpent was portrayed as crafty and deceptive when it tempted Adam and Eve to fall into sin. Meanwhile, the dove was considered clean, a picture of innocence and the Holy Spirit. So how do these two conflicting metaphors work together? I think the glue that brings them together is that the disciples were being sent out as sheep among wolves. The church has enemies. We need to understand how this enemy works and be as crafty when it comes to dealing with them. But this craftiness needs to be balanced with the innocence of doves meaning we can’t use this craftiness to take personal advantage of others. A couple recent stories may portray this balance at work. As …