“‘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).
Matthew recorded that Jesus, speaking to His twelve disciples as He commissioned them for their first mission, warned them that they would be sent into a world often opposed to the gospel. Using vivid imagery, Jesus described them as sheep among wolves—vulnerable followers entering hostile territory. He therefore commanded them to hold together two qualities that normally seem opposed: the shrewdness of a serpent and the purity of a dove.
His words echoed the tragedy of Eden. In Genesis, Adam and Eve had lived with dove-like innocence but without serpent-like discernment. The serpent, by contrast, possessed intelligence without purity and used it for deception and evil. When the fall occurred, what was lost was not merely obedience but the right balance between wisdom and innocence. Jesus now called His disciples to something redemptive and new. He summoned them to live with holy discernment joined to moral purity. This was why Jesus later promised that the Spirit would give them the words to speak—the Holy Spirit would supply what Adam and Eve lacked: discernment that does not destroy innocence.
We still live in a fallen world where deception and danger surround us, so we cannot afford either naïve innocence or cynical cleverness. By the Spirit, we are called to walk with alert minds and pure hearts, refusing both manipulation and passivity. When we depend on the Spirit to guide our words and actions, we become living signs that God is restoring what was broken in Eden. By His grace, we can reflect Christ’s wisdom and innocence together as we live by His Spirit.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for sending us into the world with Your truth. Give us alert and discerning hearts, and keep us pure and blameless in our conduct. By Your Spirit, help us walk wisely and faithfully for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.