Does it seem naive to believe...that a Christian should be as "Harmless as a dove?"?

Question

The Lord gave this advice to his disciples...

This implies risk to us as believers..when we choose to trust

This implies that we are to have an innocence about us. That we should be eager to believe the best...

Should we have a directness and honesty? Purity of heart? So that our speech are marked by a spirit of generosity?

Christ also spoke to his disciples about being "As wise as a serpent." But does this mean we allow ourselves to be out maneuvered and taken advantage of time and time again?

If our openness towards others is taken as an opportunity to exploit us. then should we adjust our stance?

Thank you for taking the time to ponder on this and offer scripture with your thoughts.

Answer 1

We are to be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove when telling others of Jesus Christ. Being wise is our admonishment to KNOW what we are talking about, and being gentle is what we are supposed to be when giving the good news i.e. non judgemental, non argumentative, non aggressive.

For example, if you are speaking with someone and you start telling them about Jesus Christ and they give you a shot in the face and a **** off, YOU are not to do anything back to them for it. Look what Christ went through for telling the truth. That is our example.

Answer 2

Look under a dove-cote and what do you see? Just about sums up christian doves!

Answer 3

When Jesus sent out His disciples to preach the gospel and heal the sick, He warned them: "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as servants and harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16)

The wolves refer to the legalistic Pharisees and religious people who oppose the gospel of grace. Therefore, we are to be wise as serpents and be on our guard. Yet we are also to be harmless as doves, and not retaliate. If anyone rejects the gospel, we are to leave in peace.

The apostle Paul gave the same warning regarding those who cause strife: "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil." (Romans 16:17-19)

Similarly, when we are wise in what is good, we avoid those who cause strife and division. The word "simple" also means "innocent", so we should keep ourselves away from those who are argumentative. "Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. (Proverbs 14:7)

Yes, Jesus knew the hearts of all. ""But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man." (John 2:24-25) Yet, Jesus committed Himself wholly to His Father's plan of salvation because His heart is for all humankind to be saved.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Because Jesus is love, He is patient and kind; does not envy; does not parade Himself and is not puffed up. He does not behave rudely, nor seek His own, is not provoked and thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)

Because love believes all things, love is not cynical. While Jesus knows the hearts of man, He chooses to think the best of us, and sees the potential in us to be transformed by His love. When it was time for Jesus to choose the 12 disciples, none of them were perfect, including Peter, James and John. He was gracious even to Judas Iscariot to the end, and treated him as an honoured guest at the Last Supper by dipping bread in wine and offering it to him, even though He knew Judas would betray Him.

In the end, instead of repaying His kindness, Judas betrayed Jesus. Does that mean love has failed? No, love never fails. God has the final say. Though Jesus was betrayed and suffered and died for all our sins at the cross, He accomplished victory and redemption for all of us, and we receive His gift of salvation by faith in Him.

Jesus could have hesitated to carry out His Father's will at the garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, "Yet not My will, but Yours be done". After all, He could have worried about "What if I die on the cross and people don't accept Me?" or "What if I die and My Father can't raise Me from the dead?" or "What if I give My life freely to everyone and yet they choose to exploit Me? After all, they don't deserve kindness from Me." or even "What if I give them forgiveness of sins and they choose to live as they please?"

But thank God Jesus Himself believes that love never fails. When anyone tastes the goodness and love of the Lord, the grace of God will transform them from the inside out. Similarly, when we choose to be kind, we are sowing a seed of love into people's hearts. Yes, we do need to protect ourselves from those who try to harm us, we should also remember to pray for them and bless them, from a distance if necessary.

This is a reminder for myself too, because I am sometimes facing a dilemma of whether to be too kind to people and risk being hurt, or should I keep a distance and end up seemingly unfriendly to the other person. May the Lord grant us all wisdom and understanding in this matter.

Answer 4

To me,  the admonishment to be "wise as serpents" means that we are NOT to allow others to exploit us.  If at all possible,   we should quietly exit just such a situation,  without rancor or bitterness.  (And wipe the dust from our feet).  

To be "harmless as doves" would be that we are not to return evil for evil.

Thank about what a serpent does when discovered,  it escapes to a safer place,  it does not stay to be beaten on the head with rocks.  

Answer 5

That is the very reason why He had mercy on His people. Apart from the working of the spirit of God we are wretched and unable to do His will.

People in unbelief will never understand why we believe such things, to be pure in heart and in speech ,slow to anger with selfless motives.

I think being wise as a serpent , we should be watchful,sensitive, a good listener or observant of everything that is happening around us in our everyday life.