In my reading today out of Luke 10, verse 3 caught my attention;
Jesus was sending 72 disciples out and gave them this warning:
‘Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs
among wolves.’ (Luke 10:3 NLT)
I started to do a word study on this verse and was brought
to Matthew 10:16 in the Amplified –
‘Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves;
be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without
falsity) as doves.’
Once I got a hold of this verse, I started reading the
original Greek and the meanings of the words used. In the original Greek the
word ‘ἀκέραιοι’ is used, which is the word for harmless. In this scripture
the meaning is translated to ‘unmixed’ or ‘unadulterated’. So we are to be ‘unmixed into the society
around us’.
We have been told several times by Jesus, that we are to
stand apart, to stand out. We cannot shine our light as a beacon unto others if
we are living the lifestyles of those around us in the dark world that
unbelievers inhabit.
‘So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise’ (Ephesians 5:15 NLT)
‘Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.’ (Philippians 2:14-16 NLT)
This doesn’t mean we are to turn our backs on those, we are
to reach out to our neighbors and share the Love of Christ. But this doesn’t
mean we are to follow the practices of those who do not believe, instead we
need to show them the light that we have in us, the light that Jesus has given
us. Jesus has given us joy and peace, and we know from experience that the empty
hole the unbelievers are trying to fill, can only be filled with GOD’s love – so
we need to reach out to them and share with them that love.
We are not to be naïve and so simple in our thoughts and
think that we can join in the behaviors of the world we live in and NOT have
the light we carry snuffed out. Our light can be dimmed by the actions of those
around us, when we follow the worldy ways and turn from the love of the Father.
Some feel when they have sinned, that they might as well keep running from GOD,
because HE doesn’t want them or that they don’t deserve the forgiveness and
love that GOD has for them. But that’s all a lie of the devil, GOD loves a
repentant heart, there is nothing we can do that can turn our Heavenly Father’s
love away.
‘The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant
heart, O God.’ (Psalm 51:17 NLT)
We have to use wisdom and caution when we are around
unbelievers, that they might not bring us out of the place where we belong, but
still able to share our love and light with them with not only our words, but
with our actions as well.
‘Behave yourselves wisely [living prudently and with
discretion] in your relations with those of the outside world (the
non-Christians), making the very most of the time and seizing (buying up) the
opportunity. Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome),
seasoned [as it were] with salt, [so that you may never be at a loss] to know
how you ought to answer anyone [who puts a question to you].’ (Colossians 4:6-7
AMP)
We can only gain the wisdom we need through time in GOD’s
Word, when we put distance between GOD and ourselves, we cast a shadow on our
own lives and thoughts. We need the Word of GOD, like our bodies need food,
when we are created as new creations in Christ; we are just babies in Christ.
Like a baby requires milk to grow, we require the Word of GOD to grow in
maturity in Christ; we NEED the Word of GOD. Placing the Word of GOD in us, gives us the
fuel we need to grow and the strength we need to fight the enemy. The times in
my life when I have slacked in my Bible reading, is the times in my life that
the enemy was able to attack me. If we
are attacked when we haven’t eaten, we are weaker and less able to defend
ourselves. Like the physical, when we haven’t fed ourselves with the Word of
GOD, that’s when the enemy will strike, knowing we are weak and less able to
defend ourselves.
We are like sheep among the wolves, the wolves don’t want to
play with us and become our friends. They want to devour us, we are prey, and
we are seen as weak and vulnerable. This is why we must be like serpents, we
are to be wise - but unlike the serpent of the Garden (Satan) we are to be
harmless – without deception. I guarantee you a sure fire way to stand out in
today’s world, is to have integrity and honesty; I’ve seen more people ‘attracted
to my honesty’, after I’ve admitted my wrong and asked for forgiveness, than
any other time. The enemy tries to
whisper lies and tell us because we are Believers, we are supposed to be
perfect and we can’t make mistakes, BUT that would mean that Jesus didn’t need
to die on the cross for our sins – because Jesus was the only perfect person,
HE was the only one worthy. So we will
sin, we will make mistakes, we will fall down, but what sets us apart is that
we know even though we have fallen short of the Glory of GOD, we are not
forgotten, we are not down trodden, we are a beloved Child of GOD! After
writing down trodden (not a word I would normally use, my brain went blank, so
I went to google to see where it brought me next, and I love how GOD uses
everything for his Glory, so I’ll end with his Word and this commentary from Matthew
Henry's Concise Commentary).
Psalm 74:18-23 NLT
See how these enemies insult you, Lord.
A foolish nation
has dishonored your name.
Don’t let these wild
beasts destroy your turtledoves.
Don’t forget your
suffering people forever.
Remember your
covenant promises,
for the land is
full of darkness and violence!
Don’t let the
downtrodden be humiliated again.
Instead, let the
poor and needy praise your name.
Arise, O God, and
defend your cause.
Remember how these
fools insult you all day long.
Don’t overlook what your enemies have said
or their growing
uproar.
The psalmist begs that God would appear for the church
against their enemies. The folly of such as revile his gospel and his servants
will be plain to all. Let us call upon our God to enlighten the dark nations of
the earth; and to rescue his people, that the poor and needy may praise his
name. Blessed Saviour, thou art the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Make
thy people more than conquerors. Be thou, Lord, all in all to them in every
situation and circumstances; for then thy poor and needy people will praise thy
name.
