SEPTEMBER 7 Learn to Think Like a Snake! Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. — Matt 10:16 When I was growing up, we had a lot of snakes in the countryside where we lived, and many of my young friends thought it was fun to search for and collect snakes. Because I was a typical little boy, I joined the rest of my friends in their pursuit of snakes. This firsthand experience taught me quite a lot about the behavior of snakes and later enabled me to have a deeper appreciation for what Jesus meant when He said, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matt 10:16). In this verse, Jesus commanded His disciples (and us) to be “wise as serpents.” The word “wise” is the Greek word pronimos, which means prudent, careful, cunning, discerning, thoughtful, intelligent, or sensible. This word perfectly depicts the behavior and actions of snakes. They are very careful, discerning, intelligent, and prudent in how they act. The Greek word for “serpent” is the word ophis, which is the normal Greek word that refers to a snake. It is a fact that Jesus told us that we need to be “wise as serpents”! The Greek literally means we need to be as prudent, discerning, intelligent, thoughtful, and careful as snakes! There is obviously something Jesus wanted us to learn from the behavior of snakes, so I took the time to ponder this subject. Finally, I understood exactly why Jesus used this example and how it applies to all of us regarding our families, businesses, ministries, or any opportunity God places before us in life. If you are squeamish about serpents and snakes, stay with me for the next few moments so you can get the full impact of what Jesus was telling us. Remember, Jesus is the One who chose to use a serpent to make this point. So lets consider the behavior of serpents for a moment and see how this relates to us being “wise” in the way we live our lives and conduct our ministry or business. First, when serpents first move into a new territory, they dont announce their presence. Instead, they lay low, stay quiet, and blend into the environment. In fact, you can walk right past a snake and not even realize it! Snakes have the ability to be nearly invisible. They are designed to be camouflaged. This camouflage serves as a protective covering. The vilest aggressor can walk right past, but the serpent is not noticed because it has blended so well into the landscape. That camouflage gives the serpent latitude to move about freely as it finds its way around new territory. As snakes evaluate a new situation, they see what kind of opportunities are in the area. They identify places of shelter. They find “hiding places” to protect themselves from attack. They observe to see where they can find the easiest prey. When all these facts are assimilated, the serpent is ready to act. But this “settling-in” period is a key time for a serpent. And Jesus said there is wisdom in a serpents behavior from which we need to learn! When God calls you or me to do something new — to move to new territory or to seize a divine opportunity — it is wisdom for us to move carefully and slowly into that new phase of our lives. A common mistake is to act too fast. Acting hastily before all the facts are gathered and assimilated can lead us to make erroneous decisions. In fact, one serious mistake can cause us to lose an opportunity altogether. It is better to lay low, stay quiet, and blend into the environment for a while, learning from the sights and the facts we observe. Many missionaries were hurt because they acted too fast and got in a hurry. They were trying to take ground for the Kingdom of God in a land they knew nothing about. In reality, it was utter foolishness to start such fantastic projects without first understanding the challenges, risks, and dangers. Most serious mistakes are avoidable when moving to a new situation or environment. I strongly advise you to take your time and be sure of the actions you take before you ever act. I would suggest that you first: Learn the landscape of your new environment. Locate places of spiritual shelter for you and your family. See what kind of attacks could potentially come against you. Take time to really understand the opportunities around you. Take advantage of your preparation time before you announce great and glorious plans, making sure that you are completely informed of all the facts. Second, serpents are wise enough to know when to seize the moment and strike! Knowing when to act is as important as knowing when to lay low. When prey passes before a serpent, that serpent knows its time to strike! If the snake waits too long, the opportunity will pass by and the prey will reach an irretrievable position. So when its time to act, put your fears and emotions aside and seize the moment! You may be asking, “But how do I know when its time to lay low or time to take action and seize the moment?” The Holy Spirit will lead you in these areas if you will be sensitive enough in your spirit to follow His leading. If you will take the time to get quiet and listen for His voice, He will guide you past every obstacle, camouflage you from every attack, and show you exactly when to take action in your family, your business, your church, and the ministry God has given you. Many people are afraid to obey what the Spirit puts in their hearts to do. Fearful that they will be led astray or that they will make a mistake, they sit on the sidelines and watch other people achieve success, while they remain right where theyve always been. Let me tell you something, friend — you can trust the leading of the Holy Spirit! If you will let the Holy Spirit become your eyes and ears, you will never fail to recognize key moments and divine opportunities for your life, family, business, or ministry. You and I are not brilliant enough to figure out the right timing for everything by our own logic. The timing for our actions must be directed by the Holy Spirit, not by us. If we learn to depend on the Spirits leading, we will walk through many strategic doors at key moments. But it is imperative that we understand this: When He says “NOW!” it really means “NOW!” I pray that you have fresh insight into what Jesus meant when He commanded us to “...be ye therefore wise as serpents....” He was giving us a powerful message, wasnt He? So be very careful not to move too fast, and be careful also not to delay when the time is right to act. Open your heart to the Spirit of God today, and let Him begin to teach you when to lay low and when to strike! MY PRAYER FOR TODAY Lord, I ask You to help me be wise, prudent, intelligent, discerning, and sensible in the way I think and act. You see everything and know exactly what is really happening, so I am leaning on You to lead me in every situation. Teach me when to sit still and when to act. You are my Leader, so I look to You to lead me and to help me do exactly what is right in each situation. I pray this in Jesus name!
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 14:44:37 +0000
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