When Jesus was teaching His disciples, He said many things that they didn’t fully understand at the time. As Jesus continued His ministry, and was eventually crucified, His disciples began to understand more.
Jesus informed them that they would be sent out like sheep among wolves. And so when they went out, they needed to be wise as serpents but innocent as doves.
Jesus knew that his disciples would experience opposition to sharing the good news just like Jesus experienced in His own ministry. Many of the disciples ended up being persecuted in the same way Jesus was.
Jesus understood that not everyone in the world would accept the message of the Gospel, and many people would actually be hostile to it. So, being a disciple required them to think wisely about certain things. It required them to keep their audience in mind, to be bold yet smart.
Jesus invites all of us to live a life of wisdom without losing our innocence before God. We should use wisdom when we’re sharing the Gospel, knowing that some people might only desire to harm us.
When we think wisely instead of immaturely, we can often avoid conflicts or situations that aren’t beneficial to us. Not everyone will be receptive to the good news of Jesus. So instead of inviting harm to ourselves, wisdom will often tell us to simply walk away and move on.
If you’re not sure how to gain wisdom, one way is by getting to know Christians who are older than you and learning from their experiences. As you do that, spend time talking to God and studying His word. Make sure that the advice God reveals to you through Scripture. God wants to give you wisdom. In fact, He gives it to everyone who asks. So today, ask Him for wisdom and innocence and learn from people who already live this way.
motivatedandfree 
Leave a Reply