In the gospel of Matthew I have reached the point where Jesus is sending the disciples out on mission ahead of Him. The passage is one that is quite difficult to understand as it contains phrases and sayings we aren’t familiar with today. Take verse 16

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16

The start of it is not tricky although it may have felt slightly controversial in its day. Many rabbis would have talked about Israel as a lone lamb surrounded by wolves – usually referring to the Gentile nations. But Jesus had already told His disciples that they weren’t to go to Gentiles or Samaritans on this trip but only to the lost sheep of Israel. Is He suggesting that Israel is a place where they will find wolves? It sounds like it. Controversial but not tricky.

The second part is the trickier part though. He’s telling them that because they would be like amongst wolves ie. that they would be vulnerable and at risk, that they needed to be shrewd and innocent. He uses the examples of a snake and a dove to represent this. The dove we can understand but the snake – an animal that was cursed for its role in the fall?

I don’t believe Jesus is being literal here but instead is highlighting how important and serious this mission is. He isn’t telling them to be dishonest, or to slither their way around waiting to strike. That doesn’t feel consistent with what Jesus had taught elsewhere. But He is telling them to hold a tension. They are going to have to be smart and be aware of the traps others will set for them, just like Jesus had experienced. But they must be blameless like the dove, an animal known for its peace. They must bring that peace wherever they go.

I think He is ensuring that they don’t naively swoop into every town expecting people to coo and be lovely to them. He wants them to have their wits about them. At the same time they aren’t to become cynical and suspicious in every moment.

Its a tension! That’s a word l use a lot when it comes to following Jesus and leading.

We would much rather have a definite one way or another. We prefer right or wrong, left or right, up or down. We don’t love it when there could be a couple of options. We don’t love it when those options have an impact on each other. But following and serving Jesus will cause tension in our lives and the quicker we understand that the better.

This is why we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit in all moments. He will guide us one way and another as the situation requires. We might not enjoy tension but learning navigate it is a must for our lives.