Week 4 | Day 5 | Being Shrewd and Gracious

Command:

Be wise as serpents, innocent as doves. Be on your guard - Matthew 10:16-20

Read:

So be as shrewd as snakes yet as harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16 (TPT)

Reflect:

I grew up in a very legalistic denomination. The measure of our faith was how strictly we adhered to our religious doctrines and how rigidly we kept the rules. In fact, we were taught that our denomination was the only one going to heaven because we kept the rules more precisely than any other church. I attended a college of that denomination during the time of the Jesus revolution. I hope you saw the recent movie. It was a glorious time! The love of Jesus was palpable, and worship exuded a freedom of expression of our love for God and his love for us. There was a new unity among believers.

There were spontaneous “Jesus rallies'' everywhere, especially on college campuses. I loved going to these outdoor gatherings with my new “Jesus people'' friends. I was attending one of these rallies at a nearby university, worshiping with my hands held high, unaware of a photographer for the campus newspaper nearby. When the Dean of my college saw my picture worshiping with all these weird Jesus people, he called me into his office to interrogate me. I remember asking the Holy Spirit for guidance and I think he gifted me with the ability to be as shrewd as a snake while being harmless as a dove. I was able to graciously evade his leading questions and actually trapped him in his own words with a gentle smile that reflected the spirit of that season.

I was learning, at that young age, the principles of practicing presence. “My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.” Psalm 25:15 (NIV)

React:

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:7 (NIV)

Pray:

Thank you for your presence. Lead me in your paths with your wisdom and grace.