Guileless

One of the instructions Jesus gives to those he sends out is to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

I’ve always been intrigued by this instruction.

Having the savvy to deal with the ways of the world is certainly evident. People are as prone to acts of deceit as they are to kindness. There is every likelihood that people will seek their own interests even at your detriment. Jesus certainly does not want us to behave like gullible fools.

The harmless as a dove element is the part that raises a wry smile. I witness believers who are so hardened by hurtful experiences and unreliable people that they exercise not just caution but outright cynicism and suspicion to others. There is no openness, there are hidden agendas. Nobody can be trusted.

This is so far from the harmless as a dove element, I’m sure there are those who would even question if Jesus really meant what He said. Thankfully there is evidence of those who pick up the hint and genuinely engage with others without any suspicion or guile.

One friend of mine was no mug. He knew people might want to take him for a ride and not a pleasant one either. Yet his loving manner remained endear no matter the person he engaged with. He showed me that just as the dove stands for peace, so every believer with the Spirit within is a peacemaker and so bears no ill will.

Those examples are good for me to see to understand how I can obey what the Lord instructs.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden