MID-WEEK ENCOURAGEMENT!!!
As quarantine has completely disrupted our normal routine by having us cooped up in our homes, we have been thrown into extra family time and having to figure out new working dynamics in the household. This may have led to increased misunderstandings, miscommunications, increased frustrations, and unfortunately possible lashing out at others. This may warrant a little bit of friendly wisdom on how to witness to our families as well as how to deal with people better as we come out of quarantine and back into society again...
“"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves... And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.”
Matthew 10:16, 36 ESV
I don’t think Matthew 10 means that the Lord comes to actively divide the body and make enemies nor does He desire for us to do so. If that were true it would be a direct contradiction of His charge for us to love our neighbors (Mark 12:30-31) AND enemies (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36) and to be makers of peace (Matthew 5:9). It also contradicts His name Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and the fact that His burden is light and He will give us rest (Matthew 11:25-30). There is no rest if there is no peace.
I think it is saying that the Lord’s very presence stirs up His enemies to challenge Him and our relationship with Him causes His enemies to be stirred up against us. So we are to expect to face opposition and warfare even within our own homes with our own family members. But remember the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (2 Corinthians 10:4) and we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12-13).
The reason we are to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves is because we need to be discerning of WHAT we are facing and how to maneuver in that battle but not wound the PERSON we are facing. The PERSON is just the vessel of our true OPPOSITION/ENEMY. Sadly, 99% of the time, they don’t even know what they’re doing, so the warfare is not just on the target’s behalf but it is on the unaware vessel as well.
I also want to add a helpful article that further illustrates doves and serpents and how we can learn from both: