Sheep and Doves

‘for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light’ Luke 16:8

How is the church to deal with the world? There are as many answers to this question as there are churches, but what do the scriptures say, Matthew 10:16 “tell us that we are to be wise as serpents and as gentle as doves’ in the context of living in the world. “I am sending you out as sheep among wolves,” Jesus says. One does not have to be a prophet to know that wolves eat sheep, and serpents enjoy the eggs of gentle birds. Yet the body of Christ continues to prosper and grow. It is not because we are smart or creative nor do we have the right strategy and personnel. None of these things matter. On this truth we need to build our faith, “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, is what Jesus said to Peter

The world is wise, truly, knowledge has been poured out. The world is strong and has indeed built weapons of mass destruction. However spiritual things are spiritually discerned. “Brothers and sisters, consider what you were when God called you to be Christians. Not many of you were wise from a human point of view. You were not in powerful positions or in the upper social classes… As a result, no one can brag in God's presence. You are partners with Christ Jesus because of God. Jesus has become our wisdom sent from God, our righteousness, our holiness, and our ransom from sin. As Scripture says, "Whoever brags must brag about what the Lord has done." God may make you wise and strong and knowledgeable. He may make you influential and give you a place in the highest seats of power, but if you forget your source it will me nothing.

Abraham, Mosses, Joseph, Daniel and many other men and women in the scriptures grew in wisdom knowledge and power, but they never forgot who they were when God called them out of darkness and into his marvelous light. This day remember who you are in Christ Jesus and give him the glory for who he has made you to be. and you might just find yourself building the Church with Jesus and looking wiser than the world at the same time.