It’s difficult to explore our relationships without talking about the wolves among us. I’ve always struggled with the idea of “beware of a wolf in sheep clothing”, because there are so many verses about not judging others. Even where we are warned of the wolves in Matthew 7, it also says not to judge others.
I recently encountered this quote from Winston Churchill, “The only thing worse than a wolf in sheep clothing is a sheep in sheep clothing”. This is also expressed in Isaiah 53:6, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us.” The warning isn’t so much about wolves; rather we’re NOT to be a sheep to any person at any time. We are only to follow Christ.
As we are being sent out as “sheep among the wolves”, we need to be “shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). We should be shrewd by not being caught up in the snares of destruction, and innocent by walking in the Fruit of the Spirit. When we are shrewd and innocent to only following Christ, we do not ourselves become wolves or devoured by them. Rather we are able to rest in the Good Shepherd’s fold, where we do not want, where we are led to green pastures and still waters, and where our cups run over (Psalms 23).
Dr. Beth Ackerman is the Associate Dean, School of Education, at Liberty University. Learn more about Liberty University here.
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Learnt the hard way-but now a victor!
something to think about…..As we are being sent out as “sheep among the wolves”, we need to be “shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
What happens when the wolves are the people that claim to be Christians? It can be a fine line to walk .Christ said”, Be humble”. Be ” shrewd as serpents”, and innocent as doves,yes. However, I struggle with not being a door mat. Protecting yourself and your family from that can be tough.Handling it, tougher.
Mary – yes, there is also this one I did last year on “Flee From Foolishness” http://www.womenoffaith.com/2012/07/flee-from-foolishness/ And it such a very fine line.
This blog is somewhat confusing to me.
While Jesus is truly the Shepherd of our souls, from the earliest Biblical days, God appointed priests over His people. The very definition (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) of ‘Pastor’ is ‘herdsman’, to feed, pasture, nurture; a minister or priest serving a local church or parish (end).
I believe today’s pastors are called to care for the Lords sheep – i.e. to feed them (the Gospel). Didn’t Jesus Himself ask Peter in John 21 to ‘Feed my lambs’ (vs15) and not just once, but three times? “Tend my sheep.” (vs16) “Feed my sheep.” (vs17)
I don’t agree with the suggestion that we are “NOT to be a sheep to any person at any time.” If that were true, who is Jesus suggesting to Peter to feed and care for? I believe He is indicating that we are sheep who can benefit from an earthly shepherd.
What I also believe is that we need to be careful that the Pastor/Priest over us is in complete submission to Jesus Christ and that we are to hold that Pastor accountable to the Word of God – the Bible. That, of course, requires that we know for ourselves what is in God’s Word. In that way, we are following Jesus, in addition to being fed by a Pastor through his teaching and preaching of God’s Word.
No one should eat from one source of food – we each are responsible for consuming and digesting the Word for ourselves as well as hearing what God reveals to us through our Pastor’s teaching.
I listen to Bible teachers on television and read commentaries and devotionals from a variety of Biblical writers. It would be foolish to be ‘led’ or ‘fed’ by just one source or one person’s interpretation of God’s Word. I, myself, have had to question a hard word from more than one Pastor, and have at times even rejected what I have heard them say. That’s not to say that the hard word wasn’t true for another person or for me at another time. I ask for, and believe I receive, the wisdom to discern what God is saying to me.
Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I (the Lord) send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” We are sent out to be, and should be, sheep, but we are to discern whether or not an earthly shepherd reflects the teachings and life of Jesus Christ. We should ask for wisdom (James 1:5) and if a teaching sounds or feels wrong, don’t judge it on your thoughts or feelings alone, but study the scripture to get revelation, then without the intent to do harm (as a dove), receive it – or not.
I am also somewhat confused by this article. We are called to judge fellow believers. As you referenced Matthew 7, I would like to point out specifically verse 5 “you hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and THEN you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”. We are to repent of our own sun first, then come alongside our fellow believers. Jesus was and equal balance of TRUTH AND GRACE, not one or the other. I personally tired of Christians not wanting to be accountable for their sin…..how do we stand apart from the world if we don’t look different???