Not Just Meek and Mild: Be Wise as Serpents
How the Bible helps us to lead more authentic lives through awareness
There is a scripture that was recently shared with me that encompasses exactly this — the combination of high-level awareness and self-awareness as key to living a truly authentic and meaningful life full of purpose. I feel it’s a really powerful one, and I would like to share it with you. It goes like this:
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” ~Matthew 10:16
While in the Bible context you’ve got Jesus Christ talking to his disciples, I feel these two lines are still so relevant to our friends and family who have not yet found Christ. We can all benefit by applying this wisdom in our everyday lives, and I’ve got a few really poignant YouTube Shorts videos to help me illustrate this.
First up, take a minute to check out what professor, clinical psychologist, and author, Dr Jordan Peterson has to say here in this video:
Here, Dr Peterson is basically saying, in the context of our Matthew 10:16 verse, figure out who are the ‘sheep’ and who are the ‘wolves’ in your life. There are way more wolves out there, so make sure you know what you really need, and exactly who is going to be a positive, upbuilding, and progressive force in achieving that for and with you.
Living the Authentic You
Be Harmless as Doves…The Greek word for harmless is ἀκέραιοι, which comes from ἀ (not), and κεράννυμι (to mix), and therefore means “to be unmixed”. In other words, to be pure. Purely human, natural, authentic you. The highest ideal you can conceptualise, not just as a theory, but a real living embodiment of it.
Yet when you stand apart from the rest, when you pioneer, blaze a new trail down the road less travelled, you will face inevitable criticism — just as Christ did — especially if the fruits of your endeavours aren’t immediately evident to anyone else out there. Wolves and sheep don’t speak the same language, after all.
Don’t despair though, for you are in good company! Apart from Jesus, in this next one minute video, our Head Mentor at Lighthouse International Group, Paul Waugh, gives you a quick run down of one historically impactful example of what it takes to make your mark and really leave a legacy on this earth…
Can you imagine all of the haters that Thomas Alva Edison would’ve had to deal with, over the course of 20 years?! Imagine if he gave in? If he didn’t back himself? It’s quite possible that without him striving to bring together relationships with the right kind of like-minded people in community to solve this problem of electric light, we would quite literally be in dark times.
Stand up for Yourself — Be Streetwise
That brings me to the final video I want to share with you. Here is Jordan Peterson again, teaching us how to stand up to those wolves… Or as we would call them today — trolls.
This is, effectively, how we ought to be wise as serpents. Streetwise as serpents! Be unapologetically firm, knowing you’re rooted in conscience that values and is aligned with Christ-centred, correct principles. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the trolling wanes or the hurt it causes subsides. It just means you know where you stand, and you become braver because of it. Our Head Mentor, Paul Waugh, said it best when it comes to this:
“Sometimes you will need to bring in a bit of venom. But in order to protect yourself only! You are going to have to bring in a bit of confrontation, you are going to have to tell them exactly where they stand. You take that snake and you mix it with the innocence of a dove and you’ve got the right mix.”
~Paul Waugh
Seek Community to Serve in Christ
One thing I’d like to point out that has thus far been the unspoken thread of this blog… is that Jesus Christ was talking to his disciples. Plural. A group. A community. A family. And as Dr Peterson points out, as well as Paul Waugh does of Edison’s experience, our highest potential and value comes through with and for community.
Missed that one? Scroll back up and check it out! Not only do you need to work that awareness and realise your authenticity, you need to find your fellow sheep to do so.
Register your interest in finding out more ways to stand up together as a united Community through our Christian Response Forum.
For more on getting the right support for toxic narcissism and trolling, please check out our Parents Against Trolls initiative.
You can also learn more about the impact that our pioneering research is having on people through our Lighthouse Community site.
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