In this day of increasing persecution towards Christians worldwide, it’s important to know how to fight our adversaries in the right spirit. In Matthew 10 Jesus sends out His followers to share the Gospel with their fellow Israelites. He makes it clear what they are to do in His name—proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is near, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons, and raise the dead (vv. 7-8). If that wasn’t intimidating enough, He went on to tell them something else: they would be like sheep among wolves, and should act accordingly.

Here’s the entire verse: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd [wise] as snakes and as innocent [harmless] as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

We likely are aware that doves are sweet, docile, peace-loving creatures that are not aggressive towards other birds. They feed exclusively on seeds, plants, and fruit, so they aren’t even a threat to insects! It seems like their gentle nature would be their downfall, yet doves thrive throughout the world. Over 300 varieties of them live in every region on earth except for Antarctica and the Sahara Desert. This is a testimony to the fact that God takes care of them, even when they are surrounded by other, more threatening creatures.

In the human realm, having a dovelike disposition means engaging with other people in a meek and humble way—not manipulating to gain power over them or using underhanded tactics to deceive. If a disagreement arises, dovelike people don’t lash out in anger or retaliate with hurtful comments. Instead, they trust the Lord to take care of them.

Jesus exemplified these characteristics perfectly. When facing His accusers, He was calm and composed because He knew His Father was in control of His destiny. Until His time of sacrifice on the cross came, He could walk through angry mobs without fear, trusting He would not be harmed. He was truthful but loving as He followed the Spirit’s leading in all His interactions.

Peter outlines how we can live in a similar way. “Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Live such good lives among the pagans that, although they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:1, 12, 20-21)

The innocence of doves may be easier for us to grasp than the other part of Jesus’ teaching—to be as shrewd (wise) as a snake. In Scripture, aren’t snakes considered evil? Wasn’t one embodied by Satan to deceive Adam and Eve? So why is Jesus telling us to emulate them?

In Genesis 3:1 the serpent is described as “more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made.” Some synonyms for crafty include cunning, beguiling, deceitful, duplicitous, sly, and treacherous—obviously NOT what Jesus had in mind. He was thinking of other meanings for crafty, like SKILLFUL and CLEVER, that can protect us in dangerous situations.    

When we look at snakes in the wild, some things about them are surprising. Despite our almost irrational fear of them, snakes are not aggressive or territorial by nature. They attack only if they are hunting for food or feel threatened. In fact, they are kind of fragile in the animal chain, with many predators … including large birds, wild boars, raccoons, foxes, and coyotes.

Fortunately, snakes are blessed with a well-developed sense of smell and taste, which helps them detect impending danger. The scales covering their body offer another layer of protection. Containing Keratin, they are as sensitive to stimuli as the end of our fingertips are. These characteristics enable snakes to respond quickly and appropriately to dangerous situations (like being eaten or stepped on). In a world that’s often hostile to our message, Christians can learn a lot from them.

In Jesus we see how useful this blending of gentle and shrewd characteristics is in building God’s kingdom. Because He was so sensitive to what was going on around Him, He knew when to be bold and confront His adversaries and when to withdraw or go silent. Although Jesus was as harmless as a dove, He was neither naïve nor gullible. He knew what His enemies were up to and never underestimated their evil intents. Yet He was fearless in challenging their wrong thinking because His wisdom gave Him the upper hand. After one of His discussions with the Pharisees, Mark 12:34 records, “From then on no one dared ask him any more questions.”

When we face our spiritual opponents, we’ll need the help of the Holy Spirit so we can discern when and how to engage them. Sometimes the wisest action is to avoid the contact. This isn’t cowardly; we may be more useful to God by waiting for a better opportunity to share our convictions. When he learned of plots against him, the apostle Paul used a variety of strategies to avoid being captured or killed—a basket lowered over the city wall (with Paul hidden inside), escaping to another city by night, as well as legal appeals to civic authorities. He listened to God’s Spirit to determine the best course of action and obeyed.

Paul never allowed difficulties to deter him from his mission of sharing the Gospel, though. He was always ready to suffer for Jesus’ sake if that was the Lord’s will. His advice to us? “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Be alert and always keep on praying. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace … that you may know how to answer everyone” (Eph. 6:10-18; Col. 4:5-6).

Lord Jesus, help me to be sensitive to your leading as I live innocently among my spiritual opponents. Strengthen me to be your witness even during times of rejection or persecution. I need your wisdom and your gentleness to show the world a better way to live. Whatever I face, I know I can trust you to provide and care for me. Thank you for your all-sufficient grace! Amen.