Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves / Be on guard and open at the same time

What did Jesus mean

Be on guard and open at the same time. Don’t let one overtake the other.

Where did Jesus say this

Matthew 10:16 — “Behold, I send you forth as sheep among wolves: Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and innocent as doves.”

A quick sidenote

Jesus is talking to his disciples. He is asking them to go out into the world (amongst the wolves), so they can heal, teach, and guide others. He explicitly says to avoid certain places and people, and even warns them that they will be ridiculed, shamed, and physically harmed along the way. He says that everyone will be pitted against each other: brothers against brothers, children against parents, and the daughter against her mother. He’s saying people will betray even the ones they are supposed to love; they will deliver them to authorities for persecution, and family bonds will collapse. Despite all of these challenges, however, Jesus says they must carry on.

In reality, this is a pre-battle speech, like the ones given by Aragorn in Lord of the Rings, William Wallace in Braveheart, or Maximus in Gladiator. There just aren’t Orcs involved.

What Jesus did not mean

With one line, Jesus was saying quite a bit, which is why it’s important to understand the full conversation and the context within it.

Jesus wasn’t telling his disciples to avoid danger, to be timid, or to be soft.

He also wasn’t telling his disciples to be manipulative or to premeditate their words or actions.

And lastly, he was not telling his disciples to switch between being a serpent and being a dove.

He wanted them (and wants you) to be strong in mind and heart at the same time.

But how did he expect them to behave this way when he’s asking them to go out into immediate danger? To answer this question, let’s break down some more of the conversation.

Jesus adds:

“But when they deliver you up, take no thought, how, or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you even in that same hour, what ye shall say. For it is not ye that speak, but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you.”

Jesus is saying that you don’t have to worry. When you are delivered up (paradidōmi: Greek for “handed over”), God is with you, and God will give you the right words at the right time.

And then he adds:

“And fear ye not them which kill the body, and be not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body into hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And none of them doth light on the ground, without your father. And now are all the hairs of your heads numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

Jesus is saying that God cares about everyone and everything. He is aware of it all, including the cheapest and seemingly most worthless bird in the market (a sparrow). He is saying that if God cares even about that “worthless” sparrow, then he definitely cares about you. And he will make sure that you are taken care of.

Let’s go back to the pre-battle speech from earlier. Now imagine Aragorn for a moment.

He’s speaking to the elves, dwarves, and hobbits:

War is dangerous, and many of us will be hurt. But do not fear what’s about to happen. You are in good company. We are all in this together, and we even have a wizard on our side.

Jesus is offering up comfort and encouragement wrapped up in a warning. It is meant to be empowering and to give you courage.

Where to start

So what does this all mean? What does a pre-battle speech have to do with serpents and doves, and how does that relate to you?

Jesus is saying two things at once.

Serpent: Don’t premeditate or overanalyze the situation or the person too much. You may overbuild the story and miss key details because of it.

Dove: Don’t make too many assumptions along the way. You may default to a story that’s too good to be true and end up in a situation you can’t see clearly.

Instead, be open and honest, yet firm and sharp. Allow both sides of the coin (serpent and dove) to work together, so you can walk into a room and see the story for what it actually is.

In the modern world, this might look like dealing with an addict, discovering a friend is an abuser, or spotting a financial crime at work. In all of these situations, it is important to maintain your standards and values (dove), but work through the situation carefully in order to actually help yourself and others (serpent).

Benefits

If you can maintain your “dove,” then you can remain helpful, honest, and receptive.

If you can maintain your “serpent,” then you can remain smart, rational, and level-headed.

You can handle business, accomplish what you need to accomplish, and not feel like a fraud while doing so.

Connect yourself to the vine and let God’s words flow through you.