Animal Pairs

Have you ever played that game of turning over cards, to find pairs of the same species of animal?

Jesus was not playing this game, when he linked two very diverse pairs of animals, as he sought to teach his followers about how to live in a difficult world.

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.' (Matthew 10.16)

In an environment where we face threats to our own survival (no one needs to ask what happens to sheep among wolves), we have to be careful how we behave.

Of course, the threats to our survival come in many different shapes and sizes. 

Most of the ones I seem to face come from my own self-inflicted issues of insecurity and my desire to be liked. I hear the words of Jesus about the need to be courageous and trusting, and wonder if I can make the grade. In his mercy, I have found that he does give courage that isn't mine by nature, for which I am thankful.

But it is the balance between the snakes and doves which intrigue me.

A snake knows it is vulnerable, and it doesn't put itself in a place where predators could easily attack. It spends a lot of time in safe places, in order to be able to feed, live and multiply. It doesn't pick fights that it doesn't believe it can win, and it uses the resources it has when they can be most effective.
All of these qualities could help us to be more effective in our living for Jesus.

And then the harmless doves - not the words I would use for those pigeons that spatter our car with their signatures. To Jesus, the doves didn't get in anyone's way, and merely went about their business without interfering and causing a nuisance. As far as humans were concerned, doves showed purity and innocence.

This balance of prudence and purity, from the snakes and the doves, would be great hallmarks for us to develop in our own mission & ministry.

Best wishes,

Richard