I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves Matthew 10:16
How I painfully remember the upside down feeling of learning to write. I was born left-handed, but at Hamilton Elementary, all children learned their penmanship right-handed. Nothing seemed to work for me. I gripped the pen the wrong way, I held my paper entirely upside down, and there on my report card appeared every quarter the inevitable F.
My teacher undoubtedly did me a great service, seeing as I learned type at quite an early age, but what I could never shake was the feeling of being wrong side up and different. That same upside down, feeling is what Jesus is preparing us for as he sends us out to the world. Once we begin to follow Jesus, there are times when everything we do gets turned on its head.
He tells us we are going out like sheep among wolves. There is no real competition when it comes to a fight between sheep and wolves. The wolves have bigger teeth, are stronger and can run circles around sheep. Nevertheless the master sends us out because we have one thing the wolf can never have. We have the shepherd!
For some of us in the church when we get in our first wolf-fight, our tendency is to sign up for the “How to fight like a Wolf” seminar. We think if we could just try a little harder, change our tactics or develop a quicker response, we would finally come out on top. But that wasn’t our Lord’s idea at all. What Jesus wanted was for us to be ready for the wolves, by walking right behind Him. Being strong and well protected by our teeth can never compare to having the protection of our the Lord. We are no match for the wolves, but they will run away from us as fast as they can, when they come face to face with the Shepherd. Then He will make us lie down in green pastures, even when our world seems upside down.
Just a closer walk with Thee
Grant it Jesus it’s my plea
Daily walking close to Thee
Let it be dear Lord – Let it be
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